Second Chance
by xXSundae SurpriseXx
Summary: Rated T for various reasons. Shun x Alice. Summary Inside!
1. Happy Birthday and Bad News

_Hello everyone! I'm sorry to say, that I deleted __Never-Ending Journey__**.**__ I'm very, very sorry to those who were reading it. I just couldn't continue, I'd lost my will to write it. But since I promised __**The Sky's Bouquet **__I'd write her a multi chapter Shun x Alice story and here it is!_

_Here's the summary:_

Alice has lived with her grandfather for as long as she remembers. She never questioned him about anything, not even her deceased parents. She was only ever told once in her life that they died in a car accident. Her life was going wonderfully, especially since she's dating Shun, until Dr. Michael abruptly becomes ill and is on his death bed. It is there that he reveals an unknown fact to her. Alice's parent's death wasn't an accident. In fact, they were killed. And worst of all, the murderer is after her now too. Alice is forced to confront a killer and get answers. But it will take a long time to even meet him! Can Shun protect her? Can he help her? Or will he even support her?

_I really do hope you enjoy it!_

_Alice's POV_

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"Happy Birthday, Alice!"

I stood there in momentary shock. I started to laugh as I let my eyes adjust from being blind-folded to the small party before me. All my friends stood around, smiling. One of the tables in the café had a pink table cloth while a giant cake stood on top of it. Presents were piled in the back and around twenty balloons hovered above me.

Julie and Dan were pulling the strings of the confetti popper, making colorful shreds of paper dance around me and land on me. I smiled as Runo placed a party hat on my head and gave me a giant hug. Marucho blew on a noisemaker while Mr. Misaki took heaps of pictures.

"Did you plan this?" I asked, turning to Shun. He nodded and smirked.

"Happy Birthday." He said softly. Everyone awed. We both blushed and the party began. Music played in the background as we ate cake and played children's games. Finally, Julie suggested I open my presents. As I sat down, I was about to protest that no one should have gotten me anything, but everyone shushed me. Dan and Runo's present was first.

"Wow, it's a journal!" I said. I let my fingers brush over the maroon leather exterior.

"Open it!" Runo said eagerly. I nodded and flipped the cover over. Nestled on the front page, right under the _'This Journal Belongs To__ ________' _section, lay a photo of the six original Bakugan Battle Brawlers on the day Dan, Shun, and Marucho returned from New Vestroia. I remember it so clearly. Julie had greeted Marucho with a bone crushing hug while Runo yelled at Dan while crying. I remember trying not to cry as I saw Shun smile at me. I remember the way he hugged me and apologized for leaving me.

Before I could continue remembering, Julie waved her hand in front of my face.

"Like, Hello, Earth to Alice! You totally have to open mine next!" I smiled and nodded.

I smiled as the gift giving went on. Julie gave me a pink flannel pajama set, Marucho gave me a card jam-packed with money, which at first I refused to accept, and Mr. and Mrs. Misaki gave me a golden compass. I thanked everyone.

"You know, my grandfather's brother used to tell me this quote a lot: _'__Действительно большие друзья трудно найти, трудным уехать, и невозможный забыть.' _Which roughly translates to _"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.'"_ I said with a smile.

I bid everyone a good-night and hugged each of them. Gathering up my gifts, I left with Shun. It was a cool, crisp night. I walked with Shun, enjoying the comfortable silence.

"Alice." He called suddenly. I stopped and whirled around, not noticing that he had stopped.

"Yes, Shun?" I asked, walking back to him. He shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. He handed it to me. I cracked it open to see a beautiful emerald necklace being held up a golden chain.

"Shun, it's beautiful! Thank you, so much." I said. I wrapped my arms around him. He chuckled lightly and kissed my forehead.

"Happy Birthday, Alice. I…I love you." He whispered. I smiled and leaned up to peck him on the lips.

"I love you too, Shun." I said. He smiled brightly and captured my lips once more in a sweet kiss.

A loud, urgent ringing interrupted us. Shun growled and I giggled, reaching into my pocket. The number showed up, but it wasn't in my contacts list.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Alice Gehabich?" The voice asked in Russian.

"Yes, this is Alice. May I ask whose calling?" I replied in my native tongue. Shun raised an eyebrow at me but I smiled reassuringly.

"Miss Gehabich, I'm sorry to say that your grandfather is in the hospital. I'd rather not tell you over the phone, but I'd advise you come quickly. I don't think he has much time." He replied.

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. I let the phone slip out of my hand.

"Alice!" Shun called, gripping my shoulder to get my attention. He picked up the phone and shoved it in his pocket.

The last sentence ringed in my ears.

Not much time.

"Shun, my grandfather…he's in the hospital…Shun, I need to get to him, now! I have to go back to Moscow!" I said frantically. Shun nodded and took my hand in his own. He ran in the direction of Marucho's mansion. I had been staying there so I could visit my friends and Shun. I had to pack and quickly. I gripped Shun's hand tightly. I had a sinking feeling that something bad was coming my way.

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_Tell me what you think! Reviews are greatly appreciated. See you next chapter!_

_~S.S._


	2. Returning Home

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Woo-hoo! Another chappie! A 'thanks' to all those who reviewed my story. I appreciate it!

_Here's another chapter for you all._

_Enjoy!_

_Alice's POV_

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"Alice, would you please calm down? I know you're anxious, but worrying so much isn't going to make the plane go faster." Shun said, placing a hand over my free one. I looked at him and nodded, ceasing the nervous twitch in my leg. I leaned my head on his shoulder, trying to calm myself down.

"Thank you for coming, Shun. I really need you right now." I murmured. Shun nodded and placed a quick kiss on my forehead.

"I wasn't going to let you go alone." Somehow, his support made my heart feel lighter. The ride seemed to take forever and my worries seemed to increase. I looked out the plane window. The sky was dark and purple clouds rolled by lazily. I turned to Shun, who had his eyes closed. I knew he was probably not asleep, but I didn't want to disturb him. I sighed and adjusted my stuffy pillow. I closed my eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

~*~

I woke up suddenly as the plane shifted uneasily. I looked out the plane window to see the sun was starting to rise. I looked over to see Shun looking at me. I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the intercom.

_**"Ladies and gentleman, we are experiencing turbulence at the moment. We will be arriving in Moscow, Russia in another few minutes. Please put your seats up, put your retractable tables up, and buckle your seatbelts. Also, please make sure that all electronics are turned off. Thank you for flying Alpha One and we hope you enjoy your stay." **_The voice then repeated what it had said in Russian.

I fumbled with my table and clumsily handed my empty tray to the flight attendant. I was beginning to grow frustrated with trying to lock my seat belt. Suddenly, Shun's quick and agile fingers clicked everything into place. Even after he locked my seatbelt, his fingers did not move from mine.

"Alice, please, try to relax. We're almost there." He said in a reassuring voice. I nodded and put my hands in my lap, praying that hopefully things were going to go smoothly and I was worrying for nothing. Somewhere in my gut, I knew nothing would be the same after this.

~*~

As soon as the plane landed, Shun and I took a taxi to my grandfather's mansion. I paid the driver a hefty amount and flew out the door. I dropped my bag as soon as I entered the house and sped over to the phone. I quickly called the hospital where I guessed they were keeping my grandfather, being that it was the closest to our home.

"Hello?" A woman asked in Russian.

"H-Hello, this is Alice Gehabich. One of your doctors called me a few days ago. It seems that my grandfather, Michael Gehabich, has been staying at your hospital for a few days. Can I get the address of the hospital and my grandfather's room number?" I replied in Russian. I was speaking so fast, I was tumbling over my words. Shun put a hand on my shoulder to soothe me.

The woman quickly gave me the information as I scribbled it down. I pressed the 'end' button and called a cab. As soon as I finished talking to the taxi driver, I rushed outside, with Shun trailing behind me. I tapped my foot impatiently as I waited for the cab to arrive. Shun was silent the entire time.

When the cab arrived, I gave the driver the address. The ride was long and I was in a whirlwind of emotions. I reached over and tentatively rested my hand over Shun's. He grabbed my hand and gave it a small squeeze. We held hands the whole ride.

Finally, we reached the hospital. I paid the taxi driver and stepped out. I practically ran through the double doors. I signed in on the paper available and walked over to the elevator. Shun and I stepped inside and pressed the '6' button. My grandfather was in room 6-8B. The elevator made me feel claustrophobic. I was practically tearing my hair out I was so worried. My grandfather has taken care of me since I was six, after my parents died. He was my last family member, besides my aunt and uncle, who lived too far away. He was always there for me, as my protector, as a dad. The thought of losing him hurt so bad it ached. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Maybe I was just overreacting, but the doctor had said not much time…

I was pulled out of my trance when the elevator beeped and the doors slid open. We stepped out of the elevator and headed down the long hallway. Nurses and doctors bustled past us.

"Excuse me," I began in Russian to one of the doctors. One man in particular stopped and looked at me.

"Yes, how can I help you?" he asked.

"I'm looking for Michael Gehabich's room. Do you know where I can find it?" I asked. Suddenly, the doctor's eyes widened.

"Alice Gehabich?" He asked. I nodded. "Good, would you please step into my office? Your friend may join us." I nodded. I turned to Shun, who was staring at the ground.

"I'm sorry, Shun. I know this is difficult since you don't speak Russian. That was the doctor I spoke to on the phone. We're going to his office." I said. Shun nodded and took my hand, allowing me to lead the way.

When, we stepped inside the office, the atmosphere became dense and heavy, it was almost hard to breath.

"Welcome, please, sit down. What language does your friend speak?" The doctor asked, turning to me while shuffling papers. He appeared to be nervous.

"He speaks Japanese." I said. He nodded and smiled politely at Shun. "Please, tell me why my grandfather is here." I pleaded. The doctor sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Alice, your grandfather had a heart attack."

"Wait, what?" I asked. I was clearly losing my hearing. There was no way I heard that correctly.

"Your grandfather, he had a heart attack. He called 9-1-1 before he fell unconscious. He was only conscious for about an hour before he went under." He spoke slowly, eyeing me strangely.

"No…_no,_ that's not possible. He…He…" I struggled to comprehend what was going on. Tears pooled my eyes and I found it hard to breath. How did he have a heart attack? His heart has always been fine!

"Alice?" Shun called, touching my arm. I looked at him. His eyes were full of concern for me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned back to the doctor.

"How is he? I mean…is he in a coma or…" I couldn't finish. The thought of not seeing my grandfather awake made my chest ache. The doctor sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry, Alice…your grandfather died."

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_Dun-Dun-Dun!!!!! A cliff hanger! *le gasp* Well, review and I'll update ASAP!_

_~S.S._


	3. From Bad to Worse

_Another chapter for my lovely readers. Enjoy!_

_Alice's POV_

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"I'm sorry, Alice…your grandfather died."

The sentence rang in my head once…twice…a third time. I opened my mouth but no words came out. My mind went blank. I had no idea how to react. It seems like someone just flicked the off switch on my brain. My lower lip quivered and I could faintly hear the calling of my name. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, and I wanted to run. But I sat still. My breathing came out in short shallow breaths and tears slid down my cheeks. I was finally able to find my voice.

"No…T-That's not possible…H-He was…I…" Suddenly, the tears were coming faster. Shun called my name in alarm. I could feel a small pressure on my hand, probably his hand. I took a shaky breath and forced myself to speak.

"Is that all?" I asked, my voice not sounding like my own. Now more than ever I wanted to get out of that stuffy room.

"No, before your grandfather passed away, he was awake for about an hour. He…was very perceptive as to what was going on. He wrote a letter addressed to you." The doctor said, reaching into his coat. He pulled out a white envelope and slid it over to me. With a shaky hand, I reached over and took it. I was suddenly aware of Shun's hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you." I strangled out and stood up. Shun stood up and extended his hand to the doctor, who smiled up at him. I held my hand out and shook his hand.

"My condolences to you and your family." He called as we left the room. My legs felt shaky as I walked down the bustling hallway and I stopped to sit down.

"Alice, are you alright?" Shun asked. I shook my head and put my head in my hands.

"No, Shun, I'm not okay. The doctor…the doctor said that my grandfather is dead. This paper is a letter he wrote for the last hour he was awake." I let out a wretched sob and let the tears cascade like waterfalls down my cheeks. Shun put his arm around me and held me tight. This notion only made me cry harder. I don't know how long we stayed like that, but after a while I pulled away and wiped my eyes. I looked down at the letter crunched down in my hand and released my grip on it. I opened the letter and let my eyes scan it.

_My dearest Alice,_

_I am at my final hour at this wretched hospital. I know I am to die, but I am not scared. I have lived a good, long life filled with happiness, prosperity and science. I haven't any regrets in life, except for one. My dearest Alice, I wish you to contact your aunt and uncle. Tell them that your grandfather's final wish was for you to know the truth behind your parents' death. When you find the truth, do not be angry at your aunt and uncle, little one. It is but my own fault. But I know in my heart that you will do the right thing. Remember what I have taught you and never change who you are. Remember, my darling Alice, you are never alone and I will always be with you. My will and other things you will need to know regarding my death are also in this envelope. _

_Love,_

_Your grandfather, Michael Gehabich_

I wiped the fresh tears from my eyes and put the envelope back in its case. I proceeded to tell Shun what I just read. He nodded and listened to what I had to say. After I explained, I took out my cell phone and called my aunt and uncle's home. After two rings, my uncle picked up.

"Hello?"

"Uncle Ben? It's Alice." I replied, my voice wavering.

"Alice?! My, we haven't heard from you since that day you showed up on our doorstep! How are you?" He asked. I cringed as he brought up that incident but I quickly pushed it aside.

"I'm not so good, Uncle Ben. Grandfather…passed on." I replied. I heard something crash on the other end.

"Where are you right now?" He asked.

"I'm at Radiant Mercy Hospital."

"I'll be there soon." And with that, he hung up. I rubbed my eyes tiredly. I let my head fall in my hands. I let the grief torment me silently. I cried silently as I waited for the last two members of my family to show up.

After twenty minutes, they arrived. Auntie tackled into me, crying and hugging me tightly. I rubbed her back and let my own tears fall. She pulled away and let me to her car. I took Shun's hand.

Uncle Ben was already in the car when we arrived. He smiled at me when I slid in. Auntie gasped when we were all seated.

"Oh my gosh! I didn't even see you there. I'm so sorry! Alice, who is this handsome young man?" She turned around to look at us.

"This is Shun Kazami, my boyfriend." I blushed as she giggled. Throughout the car ride, she shot questions at us: how did we meet, who confessed to whom, have you two kissed, etc. All which were answered with blushing and stuttering on both parts. When they arrived at the house, the good mood brought on seemed to fade away. They all sat down in the main room in silence.

"Your Uncle Ben told me you were in the hospital alone. What happened to daddy exactly?" I explained what the doctor told me and then told them about the letter. When they asked to see it, I handed it to them. My Aunt's eyes widened and she dropped the letter. She looked at Uncle Ben who shared the same look as her.

"Auntie?" I called. She visibly cringed then sighed. She looked at me with sad eyes.

"Alice, I'm not your aunt. I'm not even related to you."

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_Hahaha! Another cliff hanger! Please don't kill me! I'll update soon. I promise. Reviews are always appreciated and a big thanks to those who have already._

_~S.S._


	4. Truth Be Told

_Another chapter! Yoohoo! I hope you enjoy!_

_Alice's POV_

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"Alice, I'm not your aunt. I'm not even related to you."

My eyes went wide and my jaw went slack. Not my aunt? That was impossible. I let out a small nervous giggle.

"What are you talking about, Auntie? Of course you're my aunt. You've been with me since I was little." I said. She sighed loudly and covered her face with her hands. I suddenly became nervous.

"Auntie?" I called tentatively.

"Enough!" She yelled, shooting up. I recoiled at her sudden brashness. "I'm not your aunt. I've never been related to you. And its time you learn the truth." She said.

"Karen…" Uncle Ben called from the corner of the room.

"No, Ben. She needs to know." She shot a wary glance at Shun then took a deep breath.

"Alice, even though you aren't my niece, I hope you don't change the way you feel about me. I love you like my own family. Your mother, may she rest in peace, was like a sister to me." She stopped and took a deep, shaky breath.

"When I was a little girl, probably five years old, my father walked out on my mother and me. As a result, my mother became an alcoholic. My next door neighbors moved in shortly after, your grandfather, Michael, your grandmother, Gabriella, and your mother, Amelia. Amelia was two years older than me. When we first met, she was so kind. She talked to me all the time and always helped me out. When I was ten, my mother died. Michael and Gabriella took me in as their own. I became part of their family. We lived happily for a long time, until Gabriella died. Life was hard and Amelia even got a job to help support the family. Then, she met Julius. He seemed nice enough, on the surface. He helped with the debts and was very nice to Michael and me. But in reality, he was cruel and heartless. He abused Amelia both verbally and physically.

"Eventually, she left him. But he was an evil man and demanded that we pay him back the money he loaned us. He wanted Amelia and nothing was going to stop him. Then she met your father, Andrew. He was a kind man and treated her like a lady. He helped stop Julius and we went back to being happy. Amelia and Andrew got married a year later. Shortly after, I met Ben and moved out. Everything was perfect. Then I got the call that Amelia was pregnant. I was thrilled. I felt that I could be a wonderful and supportive aunt in this baby's life. Eight and a half months later, you were born. You were gorgeous, the spitting image of your mother with your father's bright red hair. Nothing could ruin that moment.

"But, after you turned three, Julius appeared and with a vengeance. He sought to harm you, as payback against the woman who "took" his money and the man who stole his love away. We were beginning to grow scared for you. Trash and dead mice showed up at your doorstep almost every day and profanities were spray painted on your door. We contacted the police but there was no evidence that it was him. One day, he approached you and talked to you while you were at the park. He hit you in the face and left. You were so upset that you told your mom. She decided to confront him. I remember being there with her as she yelled at him. He stayed silent as she told him to stay away. Things calmed down after that. No more trash or spray paint. But one day, while you and your parents went out for a drive, you crashed and rolled off the street in the forest. You finally stopped when you hit a tree. You managed to escape the car with only a few cuts and bruises. However, your parents' died. When the police arrived, they explained to me and Michael that the brakes were cut and there were no airbags enabled.

"We couldn't believe they were gone. You must've hit your head because the next day, when you woke up, you couldn't remember anything. We thought that Julius must've done this. But when we went to confront him, his home was vacant. We never found him. You grew up and time moved forward. You believed your parents died in a building fire. You made friends and moved on. Your grandfather wanted to tell you when the time came when he thought you were old enough. It seems that the time was now."

My head was spinning as all her words clicked into place. I didn't realize I had started crying. My _parents_ were murdered by some psychopath who was trying to kill _me_. Suddenly, Shun yanked my arm, making me stand. He pulled me aside into the hallway. He put his hands on my shoulders.

"Alice, I _know_ you. Do not blame yourself. None of this is your fault." He said, looking me in the eyes.

"Yes it is, Shun! God, they died protecting me! And how come I didn't die in the accident? I should be dead right now, Shun! Of course it's my fault! Not to mention I have no family! All of my real family is dead!" I sobbed as the truth stung like a slap to my face.

"Alice, don't say that. No one is to blame but Julius. And you _do_ have a family. Karen and Ben might not be related to you by blood, but they love you nonetheless. All of the brawlers are also your family." He said, pulling me into a hug. I cried a little longer until I was ready to face Aunt Karen again. I went back into the main room to see my aunt and uncle hugging. Aunt Karen looked up and walked over and hugged me.

"I'm sorry I'm adding insult to injury Alice. You just lost your grandfather and I bring you such bad news and memories. Can you ever forgive me?" She asked, shaking slightly. I nodded, unable to speak. She pulled away and smiled, pushing my bangs out of my face. "It's late, why don't you go to bed. You can sleep in the attic and Shun can sleep in the guest room. How does that sound? Tomorrow, we can sort out all the details." I nodded and headed up to attic. I suddenly remembered all of my belongings were in grandfather's home. I sighed irritably. As if on cue, Aunt Karen came in with some pajamas for me. I forced an appreciative smile. When all was quiet, I cried myself to sleep.

I woke up with a start, muffling a scream with my hand. I wiped my wet eyes and wiped the sweat from the back of my neck. The dream was a whirlwind of haunted memories, involving my parents, traumatic, repressed memories as a child, and memories of Masquerade and Hal-G. I slipped out of bed and wandered the silent halls. I stopped in front of the room Shun slept in. I opened it slightly and peered inside. I was surprised to see his eyes were open.

"You can come in, Alice." He called softly. I was slightly embarrassed to be caught, but came in nonetheless. I closed the door and sat down on the bed.

"I couldn't sleep." I muttered.

"I figured as much." He said with a small chuckle. I stared at the design on his borrowed pajama shirt. I blinked away the unshed tears that were threatening to fall.

"So much is going on, Shun. I'm confused and my heart hurts so much. I feel so alone." I said miserably. Shun pulled me into his arms tightly.

"You are never alone, Alice. No matter what, I will always be with you." He whispered gently. I nodded and wrapped my arms around him. He bent down and pressed his lips to mine lightly. He pulled me down on top of him. I rested my head on his chest and fell asleep, unsure of what tomorrow was to bring.

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_Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. More to come!_

_~S.S._


	5. Planning

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Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank everyone who has been reading and reviewing. It is truly an honor. Here's another chapter for you all!

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I muffled the scream, with my hand, which was sure to escape my throat as I jolted awake. Another nightmare. This time, I didn't remember the person in my dream. He was handsome, but there was something in his eyes, a gleam of cruelty and viciousness. The dream was so fuzzy I couldn't remember it all. My eyes darted around me and I became calm at once when I spotted Shun. His arm was drawn over his eyes and his other arm lay at his side.

I looked out the window. The sky was gorgeous. Blues, purples, and hints of pinks were dragged across the sky, so beautiful that not even a famous artist could place it on paper. I lied back down and let my mind wander. An hour had past and the pink hues in the sky were more noticeable. Oranges were also beginning to show. I looked over at Shun, who was shifting in his sleep. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. His gaze darted all around the room, an inspection of any dangers. I had noticed he did this frequently when he woke up. Finally, his eyes landed on me. I smiled at him and bent down to kiss his cheek.

"Good morning to you, too." He said with a small chuckle. He placed a kiss on my cheek and stretched. I smiled brightly at him. I loved this, being able to know the Shun that nobody else knew. He was sweet and kind, and he was bright. To others he may come off as cold and stoic, but I got to see a side of him that others didn't know of. I'm lucky to have him.

I slipped out of bed and walked back up to my bedroom. I changed into my regular clothing, brushed my teeth and combed my hair. When I arrived at the kitchen, Shun was already sitting there, arms crossed over his chest, completely ready for the day. I went over to prepare breakfast.

When the food was ready, I served Shun and myself. I left two plates out for Karen and Ben. We ate in silence as I tried to figure out a way to tell him what I had planned.

"Shun?" I called out softly. He looked up at me with curious eyes.

"I-" I was cut off short by Aunt Karen and Uncle Ben entering the room. I gave him a look telling him I'd talk to him later. They each took a plate and sat down. We talked idly until breakfast finished. We knew this was the hard part. I stood up and walked over to the kitchen counter. I placed the will in front of the two. They nodded and we conversed about the arrangement of my grandfather's funeral.

"Are we going to be the only ones there?" Uncle Ben asked nervously. I knew it would make him upset if he knew that we were the only ones attending. Before I could answer, Shun spoke up.

"Other than you two and Alice, four other friends of Alice will probably attend, including me. We all knew Doctor Michael and I'm sure Alice would appreciate it." He said. I took his hand gratefully underneath the table and nodded. With some difficulty, we managed to make the arrangements for the funeral. After asking Marucho to bring everyone here, I sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands. I was stressed beyond average.

The days passed on and finally the day of the funeral arrived. The ceremony was short and to the point. Runo and Julie were crying silently while I sobbed on relentlessly. Aunt Karen did not cry and neither did Uncle Ben, Dan, or Shun. Marucho looked gloomy though.

"Alice, if you need anything, you know where to find me." Runo said, wiping the last of her tears.

"Me too, Alice! If you totally need anything just give me a call. I know you'll make it through this. You're like the toughest girl I know, besides Runo, that is." Julie added, tears in her eyes. I nodded and hugged my closest friends tightly. Next, Marucho came up.

"If you need _anything_, feel free to ask, even if it's money or a place to stay." I smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Thank you, Marucho." I said quietly. Finally, Dan came up. He looked slightly uncomfortable, probably trying to figure out what to say. He finally settled on hugging me quickly.

"If you need anything, you know I'm here, too." He said with an impish grin. I nodded and smiled back.

"Thank you, Dan." I said. After everyone boarded Marucho's jet and took off, I went back to Karen and Ben's house. I settled down in my room and contemplated what I was going to say to Karen. As if on cue, Aunt Karen knocked on my door. I knew it was her because she had a certain way of knocking, a pattern.

"Come in." I called. She poked her head in and smiled at me. She walked over to my bed and sat down beside me.

"Hello, Alice. I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk. I know this week has been difficult for you." She said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Actually, Aunt Karen, I wanted to know if you could tell me something I was curious about. She nodded. "I wanted to know if you knew a police officer or detective who was involved with my parents' death." Her eyes widened at this.

"U-Ummm there was a detective by the name of Nathaniel Erin. He became very concerned with our family and to this day is considered a friend to the Gehabich family for his work and dedication. Why?" She asked warily.

"I want to talk to him, about the case." I replied.

"Oh, Alice, Honey, I don't think that's a good idea. The case has been closed for a very long time and…" She let her voice trail off.

"Auntie Karen, please give me at least his phone number so I can talk to him." I said. She looked into my eyes, and after a few seconds, she sighed.

"Oh alright." She said dejectedly. She went downstairs and after a moment, she returned with a small book. She opened it and skimmed through a few pages. After a minute, she stopped and pointed to a name. I nodded and she stood up.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Alice." She said, making her leave.

"Don't worry. I know exactly what I'm doing." I said with a strong amount of conviction.

~*~

That night, I crept into Shun's room. He woke up the minute he heard his door open. He looked at me, rubbing his eyes.

"Alice? Are you okay? Did you have another bad dream?" He whispered worriedly. I shook my head.

"No, I just needed to talk to you. I'm sorry for waking you up." I said sadly.

"It's fine." He said, and motioned me over to the bed. He looked at me strangely. "Alice, why are you wearing jeans?" He asked. I laughed at how he sounded so sleep disoriented.

"Shun," I said seriously. "I need to leave." He froze.

"What?" He asked.

"I need to leave this house. Today, I spoke with a detective who agreed to meet with me. Shun, he was involved with my parents' case. Maybe he can tell me about this Julius person." I said, excited.

"Alice, what do you intend to do when you do get the information you want?" He asked cautiously.

"Easy," I said with a smile. "I'm going to meet Julius."

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_Hahaha, I'm so evil! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! R&R!_


	6. No Turning Back

_Here's another chapter for everyone! I just wanted to thank everyone for reviewing. Please enjoy this next chapter!_

Shun, for lack of a better word, was stunned. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open ever so slightly.

"You…want to find…the person who murdered your parents?" He said slowly, as though he was trying to comprehend what I said. I nodded. He let out a small, short laugh, either out of shock or amusement, I couldn't tell.

"I need to get answers, Shun, and he's the only one who can give them to me directly, without the insignificant details." I said seriously. He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. His palm suddenly connected with my forehead. He kept it there for a few seconds.

"Funny, I thought you'd have a fever…" He muttered under his breath.

"Shun, I'm fine!" I said, taking his hand away from my forehead, but not letting go.

"This has to be some kind of joke…Alice…do you even know what you're saying? I think you need to lie down for a little bit, you aren't thinking straight…" He was speaking frantically.

"Shun, I'm being serious! That's why I haven't told Aunt Karen. This is something I need to do! I thought you might understand. I need answers! I need the truth!" I whispered fiercely, aware that my Uncle's usual snoring had stopped. Shun was looking angry now, his breathing heavy.

"Why? Why do you need to know why he killed them? Is it that important? They're dead, Alice. I know you're upset right now, after all you've been put through, but remember I've dealt with losing both of my parents too. I know you're upset, but this won't solve anything. You might even get hurt. And for what?" He whispered back.

"My sanity." I replied hoarsely.

"Enlighten me."

"I've been told a lie all my life. He has answers that I need to forget this and move on." I replied ardently. We glowered at each other for what felt like an eternity. "Even if you don't come…I need to do this." I replied, feeling full of sorrow. I really wanted him to be supportive, but that was asking for a lot, I supposed.

"I'm going with you. I'm not going to let you run around, chasing some killer without me." He said with a small smirk. I threw my arms around him and crushed him in a hug. He kissed my head and rubbed my back.

"Thank you, so much, Shun. You don't really know how much this means to me, how much _you_ mean to me." I replied. I cut off what he was about to say with a passionate kiss. Our tongues danced as he slowly lowered me onto the bed. I wrapped my arms around his neck and giggled as his hand caressed my hip, a sensitive area. After a while, we broke apart. He quickly ushered me out of the room and told me to go upstairs and get packed. I tiptoed upstairs and opened the door. I grabbed my already packed back and went over to the desk in my room. I wrote quick note to Karen and Ben and went back to Shun's room. He was crouched on the window sill with his back turned to me.

"I'm ready." I said.

"Climb on." I obeyed and we flew out the window. I bit my lip so I wouldn't scream and wake my aunt and uncle. We landed on the floor and he reached over to grab something. I realized it was his backpack when he slung it over his shoulder. "Come on." He said, taking my hand. My aunt and uncle's house wasn't too far from the city, possibly a mile or two away, so I was able to know where I was going.

"What's your plan?" He asked me when we arrived at the tranquil part of the city.

"Well, we are in Russia right now. The address that Karen gave me is in Japan. I called Detective Erin and told him I would be there in a couple of days. I also gave a call to Marucho. He sent a private jet to come and get us." I replied.

"When?" He asked and I looked at my watch. It was hard to see, since it was dark outside. I managed to get the time from a dim streetlight.

"Well, its fifteen past two now, so the jet should be here in another fifteen minutes." I replied. He nodded and took a seat on a bench. I followed and sat down next to him. I sighed.

"I didn't want to trouble Marucho…it's just that I don't have enough for a plane ticket. At least, not until grandfather's insurance money comes. But I don't know what to do. I can't believe he left me so much. It's just like him, to spoil me." I said nostalgically. "He used to give me candy all the time. It's funny, really. When I was little, I loved to have a peppermint candy before dinner. When Auntie would visit, he would always have to give to me secretly, since she would scold the both of us if she found out. He was the best, like my father rather than my grandfather." I replied, getting misty eyed. I blinked away the tears that were about to fall. Shun put his arm around me. I smiled and leaned in. After a while Shun spoke up.

"You know, I've never seen you in jeans before." He said with a sly smirk.

"I don't really like them, but it's all I had left."

"They look good on you." He replied with a wink. I laughed quietly, grateful for the sudden change of atmosphere.

Finally, I could hear the rumble of Marucho's jet. I looked up to see it descending. It was tiny. Suddenly, a butler stepped off and bowed. His hair was light blond and he had a bushy mustache. He looked fairly young.

"Master Marucho apologizes for bringing you in such a small jet, madam, but all the other available ones were being fixed. This was the last one left. My sincerest apologizes, sir and madam." He said in a soft voice.

"It's fine, really, don't worry about it." I said, trying to show that it really didn't bother me. He nodded.

"Right this way. You may call for me, if you need anything. My name is Harrison." He said, leading Shun and me inside. I nodded and smiled at the kind gentleman. We took our seats and took off. At some point, I fell asleep. I dreamt nightmarish images. Evil laughter and screaming echoed around me. It was much more horrid then the other dreams, more real. I forced myself awake. I took in my surroundings. The jet was high in the sky by now. I relaxed slightly.

"Are we almost to Japan, Harrison?" I asked hopefully.

"Indeed, Miss Alice." He replied. I was stumped. Did I tell him my name? I don't remember doing so. Oh well, Marucho probably told him. I looked out the window and forced my eyes to remain open, intending not to sleep again for the rest of the night.

_Well, what did you guys think? Let me know! R&R!_

_~S.S._


	7. Confusion

_OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS! I haven't updated in so freaking long and I am so sorry to all my loyal readers. But you know, school is the enemy of writers. Please forgive me! Here's a chapter for you and I'll update A.S.A.P!_

* * *

I was still awake when the jet landed. I shook Shun's shoulder lightly and at once, his eyes snapped open. When the jet safely landed on the roof, we stepped out into the crisp morning. Harrison led the way to the staircase as we descended down the steps. I looked at my watch. The time read eight forty five a.m. I hoped Marucho would be awake. My thoughts were interrupted when Shun put his hand on my shoulder.

"Is everything alright?" He asked. I nodded and smiled.

"Yes, I was just worried that Marucho wouldn't be up-" I was cut short by someone crashing into me. I laughed at the short blond genius who was currently hugging me.

"Good morning to you too, Marucho." I said happily. He looked up at me with a smile.

"I'm really glad you called, Alice. We were all so worried about you." He said softly. I smiled down and kissed his forehead.

"That's a silly thing to do. I'm perfectly fine." I said. Marucho smiled and released me. It was so easy to pretend that Marucho was my brother and that asking him for help was a natural thing to do. He looked at Shun, ready to embrace him, but stopped when Shun shot him that look that practically said 'hug me and die.' He led out a small nervous laugh and backed away.

"I'm sure you guys are tired. Let's have some breakfast, shall we? Harrison, could you please put Ms. Gehabich's and Mr. Kazami's luggage in their respective rooms?" Marucho asked, turning to Harrison.

"Of course, Master Marucho." He said and bowed before walking off. Marucho ushered us to follow him.

After a while of walking through the maze called his house, we reached the dining room where a large breakfast was prepared. All sorts of smells filled the air and my stomach growled loudly. I blushed when Shun and Marucho snickered.

We all took a seat and began to eat. I tried not to moan at the sweet taste of the buttered croissants or the amazing flavor of the French toast. I hadn't realized I was so famished until Shun and Marucho were watching my carefully.

"Would you like seconds, Alice?" Marucho asked. I blushed.

"Yes, please." I said, holding out my plate.

~*~

After breakfast, Marucho led us into a room in which we could rest. After he left, I plopped down on the bed. Shun came over and kneeled over me, staring into my eyes. He lifted one hand to caress my cheek.

"You've been so quite lately. Is everything okay?" He asked in a whisper.

"Just a little nervous, I guess. You know, about meeting the detective." I said, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing miserably.

"Alice, we don't have to do this. You don't _need_ to find out why this Julius person killed your parents. Even if you do find him, which is highly unlikely, how do you know he's not dangerous? Can't we just try and figure out what's going to happen to you?" He said, looking somewhat angry.

"God, Shun, I don't care about what's going to happen to me right now! Sure, later on that might be an issue, but right now, I need to get my answers. I need to figure things out and I'm so angry and upset and hurt. I feel like I an idiot, too!" I said, pushing him gently off of me. He sat beside me.

"How could you even imagine feeling like that? I know he killed your parents. I understand that, but-"

"No, you don't understand!"

My sudden outburst left the room silent. Shun turned away from me so I didn't see his face. He stood up, but I grabbed his wrist.

"I'm sorry, Shun. That was uncalled for. You've been very patient with me and my irrational decisions." He turned around and embraced me. I rubbed his back.

"I'm afraid of losing you. This sick, twisted person _might _have killed your parents, and even though it's a slim chance that we'll find him, he might be dangerous. He might try to hurt you or kill you and you're all I really have left." He whispered in my ear. I kissed his cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere." I murmured in his ear. He pulled back and kissed me softly.

"When are we leaving?" He asked when we broke apart.

"Tomorrow at noon." I replied. I looked out the window and gasped. "It's snowing?!" I asked, turning to Shun. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yes, Alice…do you even know the date?" He asked. I pondered this for a moment.

"No…I don't…" I replied somewhat embarrassed. He chuckled.

"It's December 17." He replied. My eyes widened.

"It's already December?" I questioned. "I didn't realize…" I trailed off. I remembered being on break for some reason on my birthday. _School._

"Shun, shouldn't you be in school?!" I yelled. He rolled his eyes.

"Gosh, Alice, I'm homeschooled by my crazy grandfather, remember?" He answered. "I should ask you the same question, though."

"I went to private school in Russia. When grandfather died, I called the school to drop-out, since I couldn't pay the tuition." I replied. Shun wrapped his arms around me and let out a small sigh.

"Sorry." He whispered. I nodded in response.

"Wait! I have to go Christmas shopping! Let's see, I need to get something for-" Shun silenced me with a finger to my lips.

"Your grandfather just died. I highly doubt that anyone is expecting a gift from you." He said. I nodded. I found myself getting very, very sleepy. The ride must've really made me sleepy. Shun noticed this.

"Why don't you get some rest?" He asked, lowering me down onto the bed. He kept his arms around me until I fell asleep.

~*~

When I woke up, I was drenched in sweat, crying and screaming. The dream was so vivid. I was a child again, in my mother's arms. We were laughing in a park and it was bright. Suddenly, everything was dark and I was under water. I kept screaming for my mom.

Suddenly, Shun burst through the door. He was at my side in an instant, stroking my hair and kissing me, whispering reassurances. From the corner of the room, something twinkled in the evening sunset. I took a closer look only to see that a small dagger sat on top of the bureau. What was going on?

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'_Tis another chapter for you all! I hope you liked it. See you soon and __**Happy Holidays to all!**_

_~S.S._


	8. Attack

_Well, it's been a while since I updated, but thanks to school and work, I haven't had any valuable writing time! I do hope you enjoy this chapter _

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After Shun left the room, I walked over to the bureau. On the top, lay a small knife. I picked it up and turned it over. It was a Swiss army knife, with the initials H.T. carved on the side. What was this doing in one of Marucho's guest rooms? I knock on the door startled me.

"Come in." I said, holding the knife behind my back. Harrison walked in with a somewhat annoyed expression.

"Your private plane, courtesy of Master Marucho, is ready for take off. Please gather the rest of your things so that we may depart, Miss Gehabich." He said coldly. I nodded slowly. He quickly left the room. After closing the knife, I shoved it in my bag. After getting ready and saying my goodbyes, I boarded the plane with Shun and Harrison. The plane was smaller and nicer than the one that came to get us at Moscow. Our kind pilot informed us that the trip to St. Petersburg would be long and that we should get some rest.

"Shun?" I called, after getting settled.

"Yeah?"

"What is Harrison doing here?" I asked, dropping my voice and shooting furtive glances at said butler. Harrison was looking out the window with a hard expression on his face.

"Marucho said that Harrison is originally from Russia and that maybe he could be of help when it comes to finding people." Shun said with a small shrug. After kissing me and saying good night, Shun was fast asleep. I smiled and tried to get some sleep myself.

~*~

My eyes snapped open as I scanned my surroundings. I let out a sigh. It was just another dream. I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room. Shun was still fast asleep, but Harrison was no where to be found. I slipped off the reclining chair and walked over to my bag. It was already opened. I reached in only to discover the knife was gone. Suddenly, I was pulled up, a hand placed over my mouth and something cold pressed against my throat. I let out a scream, but it was muffled by the hand. The cold object pressed harder against my throat. I let out a small whimper.

"So, I see you found my knife, Miss Alice." A sneering voice mocked in my ear. I knew who this was. Harrison.

"It's a pity that I have to do this to you, but what your family did to me was unforgivable. You haven't the slightest idea what I've been through. So now, it's time that I get rid of you once and for all. It seems that you are the last heir to the Gehabich name. It's a shame that the last inheritor has to be such a lovely young girl. Oh well…" Suddenly, I bit his hand hard and he released me.

"Shun, help!" I screamed. In an instant, Shun was awake and had Harrison pinned to the ground with his arm bent in a strange angle.

"What the hell is going on?" Shun yelled at Harrison. Harrison stayed silent. I rubbed my throat and bent down to retrieve the knife that had been pushed against my throat.

"What is your problem?" I asked. Harrison banged his head against the floor multiple times. When he angled his head so he could face me, I saw that he had been crying.

"I was so close to getting my revenge, the revenge I need to restore my family title. But now…now I'm nothing but a criminal." He let out a sob.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" I asked.

Before he could say anything though, Shun interrupted.

"What is going on, Alice?" He asked, turning to me. I held a finger up in the gesture that I would tell him in a minute.

"What, you don't know? You don't know that your father ruined my life forever?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Your father knew me before I became a butler. I was once an aristocrat, a highly regarded young man. But your father, as nice as he may seem, blackmailed me and I was shunned by my family and friends and was stripped of my inheritance and forced out of my own home! I will never forgive what your father did to me." I stood there, dumbfounded.

"Even so, why come after me, to kill me no less? I'm not my father." I said, despite the fact that a new swarm of questions buzzed in my head. How could my father blackmail someone? And for what? Suddenly, I was eager to get off this jet.

Harrison remained quiet while Shun shot a look of impatience.

"Shun, let him go for now. We'll report him to the authorities when we land. You'll tire yourself out if you hold him in that position for too long." I said. He nodded and set Harrison free, but Harrison remained on the floor.

"Mind explaining what happened?" He asked, once we entered the cockpit of the plane and told the flight attendees what happened.

"I don't know much myself. All I know is that Harrison took the knife out of my bag and tried to kill me."

"Why is a knife in your bag?" He asked.

"I found it on my bureau after my nightmare. It had the initials H.T. carved on the side." I said, confused.

"Alice, this might not be the first time Harrison tried to kill you. Don't you think the 'H' stands for Harrison?" He asked. Realization hit me and suddenly I was very dizzy.

"I think I'm going to be sick." I stated and ran for the restroom, preparing for one of the longest plane rides of my life.

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_Only a couple of chapters left! I hope you like it! Reviews are adored!_

_~S.S._


	9. Meeting

_Wow, I finally updated. For some reason, I had a hard time writing this. Just for the record, I know nothing of Russia so if I'm wrong on anything, please correct me. Though I'm pretty sure I kept it somewhat real._

_Enjoy!_

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After we arrived in St. Petersburg, the authorities came and arrested Harrison. Even when being shoved into the police cruiser, his cold eyes never left mine. It's like his eyes were saying _burn in hell._ Even after they drove away, I could still feel the hate lingering on me. Shun looked at me with a wary expression.

"I'm fine." I said, forcing myself to smile. I quickly hailed down a taxi and gave the address to the driver, as well as his pay in advance. I let out a small sigh. My head hurt and I just wanted this over with. Slowly, the doubts I had been pushing away crept up and attacked.

_Why are you doing this?_

_You are putting yourself at risk._

_Go back to Japan with Shun and ask Marucho for help._

As much as I hated to admit it, they were right. I should have been putting my life back together. I should've been looking into going to school, staying in Japan with Shun, getting help from my friends.

But a part of me, the part that overpowered those thoughts, told me that I needed to find out about my parents. Why did Grandfather lie to me? Why did _everyone_ lie? My head pounded. It was probably due to lack of sleep. I hadn't had a good night's sleep since I found out that Grandfather was in the hospital.

Shun reached over and grasped my hand. He gave me a reassuring smile that made me feel whole. I quickly planned out what I wanted to say to Detective Erin. All I really need to find out is where Julius lived. If I found that out, all I would have to do is confront him. I knew this idea was pretty lame, but in reality, he was the only one I could trust to tell me the truth, whether he committed the crime or not, though I have a strong feeling that he did. _But if he didn't…_

I didn't let myself finish the thought. If my guts were right, which they usually were, then he did do it. If he did, I need to know why. I need the whole story. I didn't realize we had arrived at our destination until Shun was pulling me out of the car.

I stare at the small, cozy-looking home with awe. I don't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't that. I took a deep breath, grabbed Shun's hand, and marched up the walkway. I gave a timid knock and held my breath.

A lanky blond haired, blue eyed man answered the door. His hair was long and pulled in a pony-tail. His glasses were perched on his nose.

"Good afternoon, m-my name is Alice Gehabich, I-" The man suddenly pulled me into a hug and kissed both of my cheeks.

"Alice!" He exclaimed with a happy grin. Wow, Aunt Karen wasn't kidding when she said he became a friend of the Gehabich family. He released me and turned to Shun. He shook his hand heartily.

"Hello, are you a friend of Alice's?" He asked, switching from Russian to Japanese. I remembered that he had lived in Japan before he moved back to Russia.

"Yes, I'm her boyfriend, Shun Kazami." Shun relied, probably happy that he could finally be able to speak on his own.

"Pleasure. Please, come in." Detective Nathanial Erin said. He directed us into his common room and had us sit down.

"My, my Alice. You've grown so much. I hope you don't mind me speaking in Japanese, but I figured your boyfriend would like to hear what I have to say. Now, over the phone you told me you wanted to talk about your family. Please, ask away." He said, settling on the couch opposite of ours.

"Did a man name Julius kill me parents?" I asked. The words seemed to flow comfortably out of my mouth.

Nathanial quickly turned rigid. He focused on his hands, as though his fingers were the most interesting thing in the world. The silence droned on and on. Finally, when I was at my wit's end, about to get up and forget everything, he spoke.

"That was never proven." He whispered. I nodded. Suddenly, he looked tired. "I knew this day might come, but I'm a little unprepared. I'd hoped that you wouldn't figure out until you were older and able to handle this a little differently. Your aunt called to tell me that Michael died. I figured you'd found out the truth but I wasn't expecting you to come here to ask for answers. But I can't deny you at least a little information." He let out a sigh before he continued.

"Though, it was never proven, I never doubted that Julius Ivanov killed your parents. I have no information about him. The only information I have that relates to him is his old nanny's address. I also have no information regarding your parents. You could try going to her house to asking her, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. I hope the information helps." He finished with a sigh. He got up and handed me a piece of paper with an address on it.

"Yes, it helps a lot. Thank you very much, Mr. Erin. If I talk to the nanny, maybe I could get some information on Julius." I replied, starting to get up.

"Wait, what? You mean you're tracking down Julius? Are you crazy?!" He roared, I flinched at his tone, but composed myself. He hovered over me and glared. I could feel Shun seething beside me. He hated it when someone got a little too close or a little too loud with me.

"I can't let you do that, Alice. You would be putting yourself in danger." He spoke with a tone that reminded me of a parent telling their kid 'no'. Something raged inside me. Never in my life had I wanted to hit someone, but he was getting me pretty darn close.

"I'm sorry, detective, but, respectfully, you can't stop me from doing anything. You aren't my guardian and if I recall correctly, you said that it wasn't proven that he killed my parents, so we don't know if he's dangerous." I shoved the note in my pocket and walked out of the house. I could hear footsteps behind me. Shun grabbed my wrist and spun me around. Our eyes locked and all the anger rushed out of me.

"I kind of agree with him, it is crazy, but I already promised that I would stick by you no matter what." He pulled me into a tight hug. He pulled away and gave me a quick kiss. I smiled.

"Thank you." I whispered, and rested my head against his. It was time to go visit Julius's nanny.

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_Oooh, the climax is nearing. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. You know the drill._

_~S.S._


	10. Learning More

_I finally got around to updating! I hope you like this chapter._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Julius's nanny didn't live very far from Nathan's house. It was small and cozy. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A young woman with dark black hair and pale skin with striking green eyes stood before us. She leaned in close and looked at me thoroughly.

"Good afternoon. How may I help you?" She asked. She turned to Shun and looked back at me.

"My name is Alice Gehabich. I just wanted to talk to you." I began. She gasped as she leaned in closer than before. "You're Amelia and Andrew's daughter! Oh my God!" She pulled me into a tight hug. She turned to Shun and shook his hand vigorously. "Please, come in." She closed the door as soon as we were in. She gestured us to a small couch. Shun and I sat down on the couch while she pulled up a chair.

"So she knows who you are?" Shun whispered to me. I shrugged, suddenly interested in this woman.

"I take it you know me then?" She asked. I shook my head.

"I only know that you worked for a man named Julius." I replied. Her happy demeanor fell as she looked at me with a frown.

"What do you want with that monster?" She asked.

"I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions. Did you know Michael Gehabich?" I asked. She pondered for a moment before snapping her fingers.

"Oh yes, that was Amelia's father, correct?" I nodded. "I met him a couple of times. He was so kind! How is he?" She asked.

"He died a few days ago." I replied solemnly. She frowned and placed a hand on my folded ones.

"My condolences to you. I know he was your only remaining family member, ever since your parents passed on." She gave my hand a little squeeze before pulling away.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to know everything involving my parents. My mother's friend didn't give me all the details and neither did the detective who dealt with my parent's case. You are my last resort, so please, help me." She looked at me and sighed, muttering something incoherent.

"How much do you know?" She said, leaning back in her seat. I explained to her everything Karen had told me. After I finished, she sighed and rubbed her temples. She looked at Shun and smiled.

"Your boyfriend?" She asked me. I nodded and smiled.

"He's Japanese, so he doesn't understand what we're saying. I'll fill him in later. Please, go on." I replied. She got up and paced before turning to me.

"My mother was Julius's nanny when he was first born. His mother and father let my mother and I live as servants. I had worked in their home since I was ten. When I turned thirty, my mom passed away and I took her place. The pay was good and I was given a good home. Even Julius was kind to me, though he had only been ten years old at the time. Julius and I were close; he even said he saw me as a second mother. Julius was the third child of four children. Julius had always been bitter because his older brothers were going to inherit more than him. Julius always had trouble making friends, that is, until he met Harrison Egorov and Andrew Konstantinova. The three of them became friends and Julius was happy. I thought he had been behaving, but Julius was a little tyrant and always bullied the two. Harrison, the little twerp, had always obeyed, but Andrew wasn't like that." She got a distant look in her eyes as she spoke.

"I don't have all the details, but Harrison and Julius had a falling out. Julius didn't give me all the details. All he said was 'He won't be coming around anymore.' And that was that. I didn't see Harrison anymore. Andrew stopped coming around too. I didn't think anything of it, until I found out that the reason for the big fight between the three was a girl of lower class by the name of Amelia. Julius had been in love with her, but as I said, he was a tyrant. Eventually, she left him for Andrew. There was a fight because of her, and Harrison was accused for siding with Andrew. Julius was so furious at the two that he blackmailed Harrison with lies and well…" She trailed off, unsure how to finish.

"All I know is that he hated Andrew and Amelia and wanted them both gone. For good." She stopped pacing and squatted in front of me. She placed a hand on my cheek.

"I can't say for sure that they died by Julius's hand." She stood up.

"What will you do now?" She asked. I pondered on what to do. The news she told me only made me believe that Julius killed my parents even more. I looked up at her.

"Do you know where he lives?" She looked grim as she nodded. She left before handing me a paper.

"Alice, I haven't spoken to Julius for at least ten years. I don't know him like I used to. But whatever you decide to do, just know this: Глаз для глаза сделал бы целый мир слепым. But it is not my decision to make. Правда освободит Вас no? Go now and good luck. Please be careful." I nodded and bid her farewell. As soon we exited, Shun turned to me.

"Now what?" He asked, taking my hand. I gave his had a small squeeze.

"Now, we go see Julius."

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_I h__ope you liked that chapter! The quotes the nanny said roughly translate to:_

_Правда освободит Вас__ - the truth will release you or set you free_

_Глаз для глаза сделал бы целый мир слепым - An eye for an eye would make the whole world blind, referring to Alice wanting to get revenge on Julius._

_Review!_

_~S.S._


	11. Showdown

_My apologizes for taking so long to update! The story is almost done! I hope you like this chapter!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

I never would have believed Julius to live in a house quite like this. After everything I heard about him, I assumed that he would have a giant manor or something outrageous like that, but I was wrong. His house was a small cottage hidden way off the outskirts of Moscow. I didn't know what to think when the taxi driver told me that it was impossible to drive there, since most of the area was terrain and pastures. I had guessed his house would be creepy, dark, and enormous with a menacing atmosphere. I certainly wasn't expecting it to have such a peaceful aura. As if reading my mind, Shun spoke.

"Not what you expected?" He asked from beside me, adjusting the bags, our luggage, on his shoulders. I shook my head, dazed. As soon as we saw that we would have to go back to Moscow, I was a bit relieved. I thought about Karen and Ben, my mother's closest friends. It was weird, I still wanted to call them Aunt and Uncle. Whether I had blood ties with them or not, they still hold a place in my heart. When I finished up my business here, I should talk with them.

I hadn't realized my heart had been pounding so hard. I took in my surroundings. It certainly was secluded, so no one would hear me if something went wrong…

I shook my head, ridding myself of thoughts like that. I couldn't chicken out now, when I was so close to finding out the truth.

"Shun, put our bags there, behind that bush." I spoke in a low voice, afraid that if I spoke too loudly someone might open the door of the cottage. He nodded and moved to do so. I walked up to the door and took a deep breath. This is it. The moment I have been waiting for. I could feel Shun standing behind me; his apprehension seemed to roll off him in waves. I slowly raised my arm and gave three hard knocks. My hard thumped erratically in my chest as I heard the clanks of the locks unlocking.

When the door opened, my heart stopped. The man before me had to be in his thirties. He was clean shaven and had his pale blond hair sleeked back. His clear cobalt eyes scanned me while he wore a bored expression on his face. His voice was smooth when he spoke.

"If you have nothing to say, then goodbye." He said, slowly shutting the door. I put my foot in the gap between the door and the threshold, stopping him from closing the door. My throat felt try and my knees were shaking. I was being a silly, terrified, little girl.

"Are you Julius?" I blurted out unceremoniously. He lifted a perfectly thin blond eyebrow at me.

"And if I am?" He asked, opening the door wider. I took a deep breath before replying.

"My name is Alice Gehabich. Do you know who I am?" I asked. I looked at his face to see his expression. His face showed an assortment of different emotions that I couldn't name. Suddenly, he pulled me into a tight embrace, catching me off guard.

"Alice! Oh, little Alice! The child of Amelia and Andrew! How could I forget that sweet, innocent, face?! Oh goodness, you've grown so much!" He let go of me and gave my cheek a little pinch. I could feel Shun's gaze on me. I pulled myself away to look at Julius's smiling face.

"Y-You know me?" I stuttered. He nodded with a happy smile on his face. He turned to Shun and held his hand out. Shun looked at his hand wearily before shaking it.

"And who is this?" Julius asked me.

"Shun Kazami. He's Japanese, so he doesn't speak any Russian." I said. He smiled.

"Than shall I speak in his native tongue?" He asked, speaking in Japanese. Shun and I gaped at him.

"I did a little studying at Tokyo University a couple of years ago." He admitted sheepishly with a shrug. "Anyways, please, come in. I would love to have some tea and talk with you." He patted my head affectionately before moving aside to let us in.

His home was small. The kitchen was in the same area as the living room and he had two doors, which probably led to the bathroom and his bedroom.

"It's not much, but I do hope you'll stay for a little while." He said, closing the door. When I heard the click of the lock, my heart started to beat faster than before. His calm and affable aura almost made me forget the reason I came here. Keyword: Almost. I moved to the couch and sat down. Shun took a spot next to me. I could feel the tension radiating off of him.

After a bit of shuffling in the kitchen, Julius came back with a three hot teacups on a tray.

"For the youngsters, I have Earl Gray tea and for me, I have Russian Caravan." He said, placing the tea down. I picked it up and took a small sip. The taste was wonderful.

"It's good." I complimented.

"Thank you, Alice. Shun, would you like something else to drink? I can get you something else. Green tea, perhaps?" Julius questioned innocently.

"It's okay. I'll just have this." He said, picking up the teacup and bringing it to his lips. I frowned into my cup. When I first got here, I expected something much worse. But the more time I spent here, the less I thought Julius guilty of killing my parents. The man looked like he could barely kill a fly.

"Alice, what was it you came here for? How did you get my address?" He questioned.

"I came to talk to you…about my parents. Your old nanny told me." He smiled brightly.

"Sylvia? Oh my word, I haven't seen her in years! How is she?" He asked leaning forward.

"She's okay." I answered, unsure of what else to say. He smiled fondly before reaching over to pat me knee.

"So what would you like to know? How much your father liked to recite poetry? How much your mother loved to cook?" He asked with a small chuckle.

"I wanted to know how they died." I asked. Julius's eyes widened.

"Oh Alice, why would you want to know that? I don't think I'm the right person to ask. Go ask your grandfather. He seems like the more appropriate choice. Or your aunt and uncle."

"I know they aren't my biological aunt and uncle and grandfather…passed away."

"Oh Alice! I'm so sorry!" He got up and wrapped his arms around me. I admit, it was a bit strange, but slightly comforting.

"Thanks." I mumbled, stifling a yawn. What time was it anyways? I was suddenly so very tired.

I turned to see Shun silently snoozing, his cup slightly tilted. I reached over, my arm feeling heavy.

"Shun." I whispered. I turned to look at Julius.

"Aww, what's the matter? Is wittle Alice sweepy?" He mocked in a baby's voice. I gritted my teeth.

"What did you do?" I questioned, feeling the rest of energy leave me. He grinned wickedly.

"You'll see."

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_Drop a review! _

_~S.S._


	12. Big Trouble

_I know last chapter I said that there were only about two more chapters left, but I've decided to extent the story a little longer! Huzzah!_

_Enjoy!_

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The first thing I noticed when I came to was that I was exhausted. I felt so drained. I tried to lift my arm to rub my eyes, but found out that I could not. I opened my eyes fully and looked down at myself. I gasped at the sight of my body being bound by thick rope to a chair. My arms felt bruised and they had the tingling feeling people get when their arms have fallen asleep. I looked around the room. My memory was a bit fuzzy, but I knew where I was. Julius had done this to me. I struggled to untangle myself, but found that I had no energy to struggle. Realization dawned on me. I was duped. My heartbeat increased as I looked around for Shun. I didn't want to call out to him, since Julius wasn't in the room and I feared that he would hear me. I craned my neck to look behind me and gasped. Shun was tied up to a wooden chair similar to and had duck tape over his mouth.

"Shun." I whispered, trying to get his attention. I struggled to turn the seat around, but I was once again troubled by the fact that I had no stamina. I called out to him, my voice rising each time. I felt my blood run cold at the thought that he might be dead. I was about to call again, when suddenly a hand clamped down over my mouth. I looked up to see Julius grimacing down at me.

"Your voice is so annoying." He said and let go of my mouth. I glared at him, despite the fact that I was trembling with fear. He smiled at me and gave my head a small pat. I winced.

"He's not dead, if that is what you're thinking." I let out a breath of relief. "That is, he isn't dead _yet._" He smirked and ruffled my hair.

"What did you do?" I snarled. He laughed.

"You really don't know? I thought you were smarter than that, Alice. Isn't it obvious?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You drugged us." I whispered, horrified by the thought. He clapped his hands sarcastically.

"Very good stuff, that muscle relaxant. You were fast asleep, even when I tied you up. And now that you're awake, you can't do a thing." I struggled frantically, trying to get myself free of these binds. Julius clucked his tongue and wagged his finger at me.

"That won't do it. Besides, you can't scream. We're in the middle of nowhere. So why don't you stop struggling, shut up, and let me have my fun?" He asked. He walked over to Shun and grabbed him by the hair.

"Don't hurt him! Please!" I begged. Julius gave Shun a hard shake.

"Wake up, you little troll." He sneered, shaking him harder. Shun's eyes snapped open as he took in his surroundings. He tried to speak, but realized his mouth was sealed shut by tape. His eyes showed anger, curiosity, relieve, and fear all at the same time as he stared at me.

"Now that you're up, my fun can commence." He let Shun go and walked over to me. He towered over me with a menacing aura. I looked at him with hate. _We'll get out of this. Shun will find away._ I reasoned with myself. Suddenly, Julius's hand came up and slapped me hard across the face. The sudden force of it made my head turn. Tears pricked my eyes from the sudden stinging pain and the shock. I had never been hit before, especially not my face. I could hear Shun screaming my name, even through the tape. The room was silent; the only sound was Shun's heavy breathing. My breath was ragged as I tried to compose myself. He wouldn't get the better of me.

"I hate you. You look too much like her, that hussy you called a mother." He yanked my hair, making me cry out in pain. Shun could be heard thrashing about. I knew he could only last so long. The drugs weren't out of our systems yet. Julius bent down in front of me and glared at me with revulsion.

"You're pathetic." He spat. He shook his head angrily. "You're pathetic." He repeated with much more hate in his voice. "You drag your boyfriend, who wants to get in your pants so badly that he actually agrees, to Russia where he can't even speak a word of the language, so you can look for your dead parents' killer, a stupid idea from the start. And once you manage to find him, you are stupid enough to trust him! I mean, didn't your whore of a mother and idiot of a father ever teach you not to judge a book by its cover? Oh wait. Your parents didn't make it that long to teach you, did they? So that means your old fart of a grandfather is the one to blame. Jeez, your whole family is pitiful. You couldn't just leave it alone, could you? No, you had to be little miss detective Alice. Did you even consider the dangers that might have come your way? More importantly, did you ever consider your boyfriend's feelings? No, I bet you didn't, because you're a bratty little bitch. Now, you're stuck here, waiting to see what it's in store for you. I could do whatever I wanted right now and no one could stop me. You know, what makes me the angriest is the fact that you can't even comprehend the complicated life I had. You've had it so easy that you can't even look at both sides of the story. You jump to the conclusion that I killed your parents, with no facts at hand. Maybe they really did die by accident. Maybe the car company that manufactured your parent's car screwed up on the breaks and that's why the crashed. Did you check the company's history? No, of course you didn't. It had to be me, of course, because I was jealous of your parents who always rubbed in my face their happiness. Isn't that right? You make me sick, you little shit. You don't know anything."

He stopped and turned around. I felt my mouth go dry. His words jumbled around in my head. He turned back around and faced me with a cruel smile. "Of course, if you did this all on instinct, then your instinct would be dead on. I did kill Andrew and Amelia. I killed them and you can't do a damn thing about it. I killed them and they deserved it. I tried to kill _you_, but I failed. But you were kind enough to show up on a silver platter. How nice." He turned and walked into the kitchen.

Tears streamed down my face at his confession and harsh words. A broken sob escaped my lips. What he said, well, most of it, was right. I had been stupid, and now I was going to die, just like my mother and father. I looked up to see Shun working at his rope frantically; angrily. I looked down at my lap when I heard footsteps coming from the hallway. A chair was seated opposite of me. Julius sat down and pulled out a Swiss army knife, similar to Harrison's.

"I got this for my seventeenth birthday. It came with two others. I gave one to your father and the other one to my close friend."

"Harrison." I interrupted. I shouldn't have, but I did. He nodded.

"Andrew took my beloved away from me. And Harrison took his side! I hated those two. I even blackmailed Harrison for betraying me. He lost his inheritance and he was disowned from his parents. Last I heard, he was a butler and he was trying to kill _you. _The brilliant part of this scheme was getting Harrison to think _Andrew_ blackmailed him, not _me_. Amelia left me for that clown. I tried to kill them numerous times. They were very careful, so it was difficult, but I finally got the job done. Except, somehow, _you _managed to survive. But, you've changed everything. Now, I can get rid of the Gehabichs. Permanently."

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_Reviews are loved._

_~S.S._


	13. The Turning Point

_*Le Gasp* It's the climax! Two more chapters to go!_

_Enjoy!_

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I watched in horror as he pulled the blade out of its container. He smiled at me before putting the knife against my throat. The blade felt cold against my warm skin. Was this actually happening? He traced the tip up passed my jaw and to my cheek. I could feel the sharpness digging into my skin. He suddenly pulled it away and stood up. He turned my chair around and had me face the door…and Shun. Shun, no longer fighting, was now shaking his head, pleading. Julius clucked his tongue and pulled at the ends of my hair.

"You might want to say your goodbye. I really can't help myself." He sighed. "I'm a hopeless romantic. I _must_ let you lovers give each other a proper farewell." He moved passed me and ripped the tape of Shun's mouth. The tape was off, but he was left speechless. He looked at me with eyes so full of sadness that it made me tear up. I had never seen Shun cry, but he looked pretty close. Neither of us said anything, until Julius tapping his foot impatiently. I took a shaky breath.

"I love you." Was all I could manage to whisper, my voice cracking.

"No." Shun whispered back. He turned to Julius. "Please, don't. You can have me, but please don't hurt her." Julius laughed and moved to put the tape back on Shun's mouth. Shun struggled, but he didn't have enough room to resist for long.

"Truly a touching moment, but I'm afraid this one has to go." He placed the knife against my throat again. Shun once again thrashed about, screaming against the tape.

"Goodbye, Alice." He whispered. I closed my eyes, waiting for certain death. Surprisingly, I wasn't scared. One good thing to come out of this would be getting to be with my family. One bad thing? Leaving Shun. The next moment happened so fast that it took me a minute to comprehend. The door bust open and six men entered the room. Their uniform informed me that they were police. Among the officers stood Detective Erin. All the officers had their guns out, all of them pointed at Julius.

The room was silent. One officer moved very slowly towards Shun and managed to untie him. Shun ripped the tape of his mouth, but didn't move. All eyes were concentrated on Julius, me, and, most importantly, the knife. Suddenly, Julius burst into laughter and he ruffled my hair.

"You cheeky little brat! You brought the police straight to my hideout! How'd you do that?" I was stunned. How _did _Erin know where I was?

"It's all over, Julius. We followed Alice and finally found out where you live. We have you on so many counts; it'll make your head spin. Murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, you'll be in the slammer for life and there's no running away." Erin smiled smugly. Julius laughed again.

"I'm afraid you've got it wrong, Nathaniel. You may have been on my case before about Andrew and Amelia, but it was never proven."

"No… it wasn't. But we were listening in on you with some of our technology and got the whole confession on tape."

"If you were listening in on us, why didn't you come sooner?" Shun interrupted angrily. I frowned; did anyone remember the knife against my esophagus?

"We had a hard time tracking you. You two were on the move so fast, we only got here to hear Julius's little rant." Erin replied.

"Enough." Julius spoke quietly, but everyone heard it and every person was silent. It was a stare down. Julius had a knife against me, while six guns were against him. Erin stepped closer to us. As a result, the knife was pushed harder against my neck, making me whimper. Erin didn't move.

"If nobody moves then Alice doesn't get her pretty little neck slit." He said it so carefully, but it was no empty threat. Once again, my fingers brushed against the rope binding my body to the chair. If I untied it, I could get free! But I had to be careful, or he would kill me in an instant. Now that I had a chance to get myself free, I had work silently and carefully. New found hope surged through me.

I worked silently as my fingers fumbled to undo the knot. My heartbeat quickened as I felt the knot coming undone and I felt more energy rushing through me. The drugs must be wearing off! Finally, after some struggle, the rope came undone. A thought came to mind. If I moved now, I might not be fast enough to get away and I would most likely get hurt. But, if I seized him and used his weapon against him, I could get away. With fluid movement, I pushed the chair back hard, knocking it into Julius. I turned around and grabbed his wrist. With quick movements, the knife was now out of his hand and in _mine_. I pushed the blade hard against his throat, making him back up until he was against the wall. He smiled.

"Well done, Alice. You've got me pinned." He grinned. I felt like I was being mocked. He was still able to make fun of me, even when his life was in danger. I heard shuffling behind me and a quiet gasp. I didn't have to turn around to know that the guns were now pointed at _me_, the threat. Another thought occurred to me, one that frightened me greatly.

I could kill him.

I could kill him and be done with him forever. It would be simple. A flick of my wrist and he would be dead. I tried to reason with myself. There was no way this was ethical or morally right. I couldn't kill a fly.

I was about to pull the knife away when I heard a familiar voice, a voice I hadn't heard in over two years.

_Hurt him, Alice. Hurt him like he hurt you. He killed your parents, so you should kill him._ Masquerade. I hadn't heard from him since before the Bakugan left. _I'm part of you, Alice, a part that will be with you forever. So, why don't you kill him? He'll get what he deserves. With him gone, you'll never have to be afraid or upset again. It's completely justified._

Even while listening to Masquerade, I was still aware of everything happening. Erin was trying to get my attention. He was calling my name out, but I ignored him. I made up my mind, even with Masquerade trying to convince me otherwise.

I couldn't kill Julius. Killing him would bring me no happiness, no justice. I felt tears slide down my cheeks. Was it because I was weak? Yes, that was probably right. I slowly backed away. Once I was far enough, the police apprehended Julius. With little struggle, they grabbed Julius and started to drag him out of the house. He stopped when he got close to me.

"It's a shame, really. I thought you'd be able to do it. But, I guess I was wrong. You were too weak, just like your mother was when I-" He didn't finish because at that moment, my fist connected with his face. I had never hit anyone before, but it felt good to hit him. Tears blurred my vision to the point where I couldn't see faces anymore. A police officer came over and grabbed my arms, holding me down. He apologized and whispered that it was just procedure. I didn't reply, just let out a sob and let myself fall to the ground. The initial shock of almost dying now overpowered me. Shun rushed over to me, trying to comfort me, but I pushed him away.

"Alice…"

"He's right, Shun. I am weak. I couldn't kill him when I was given the chance. I could've done it." I wiped my tears away. Shun pulled me close, hugging me.

"No, Alice. You weren't too weak to kill him. You were strong enough not to. You know as well as I do that you made the right decision." I grabbed at his jacket and wept. At some point, Shun pulled me up and led me into one of the police cruisers. I eventually blacked out.

The next few weeks were hectic. Julius was trialed then jailed. Considering his counts, he was put in jail for life. Erin said there was no way he was going to get out, ever. After everything was settled with Julius, I had more things to settle. Runo's mother and father, along with Karen and Ben, worked with the lawyers to get all the adoption papers filled. It was decided that it was best if I moved to Japan to live closer to my friends. At first, Karen and Ben were reluctant, but they eventually agreed, on the condition that I visited them. That was a given.

After a long, tiresome journey, I was legally adopted as a Misaki. Shun stood by me the whole time. There was a lot of paper work to be filled, like school papers. The move was the easiest part. Finally, I was back in Japan. Runo's mother opened the door and led me inside. Throughout this ordeal, I hadn't seen my new sister.

"Runo?" I called out gently. There was a small noise upstairs and the opening of a door. Runo's blue head appeared as she ran down the stairs.

"Alice!" She called out and ran top speed towards me. I hadn't realized that I was beginning to cry, _again_, but this time, it was tears of joy. She crashed into me and hugged me tightly.

"We were all so worried about you! As soon as mom told me the news, I called everyone. They're all headed to see you right now! Oh Alice, I'm so happy you're coming to live here now!" I hugged her tightly.

"Yes, I'm happy too. I'm now surrounded by all my friends. I couldn't be happier." While we hugged, Mr. and Mrs. Misaki came and hugged the two of us. I smiled, happy to be enveloped by such a loving atmosphere. I now had somewhere to belong. I had a family again. Everything would be perfect now, at least, that was what I thought.

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_I hope you liked this chapter. _

_And if I made any mistakes about anything, please let me know! Reviews are adored._

_~S.S._


	14. Getting Better?

_First, I must admit my mistake. I meant to say __**four **__chapters, not two. Yes, that means the next chapter is not the last! I also wanted to respond to one of my reviewer's reviews. To __**Lyndranette**__: Well, if you think about it logically, I personally thought that it was the best decision. First, Karen and Ben are comfortable in their home in Russia and might not want to move, despite their love for Alice. Second, the Misakis have experience with raising a teenage girl, especially with Alice. (If I'm not mistaken, she lived with them for some time in the series, or at least visited them for a while.) So that was my reasoning. But the Misakis aren't that bad in the Japanese version, it's more exaggerated in the English dub. But other than that, thank you so much for reviewing! Enjoy this chapter!_

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A small knocking on my door roused me from my sleep. I yawned and stretched. Looking at the alarm clock, I saw the time read ten-thirty a.m. I pushed my covers off and stood up. I walked over to the door and opened. Runo smiled brightly. She was fully dressed and ready for the day.

"Mom said that breakfast is ready." She spoke cheerily. I nodded and closed the door. I grabbed my necessities and bound towards the bathroom. After taking a quick shower, getting dressed, combing my hair, and brushing my teeth, I was finally ready. I took the steps two at a time until I reached the first floor. As soon as I walked into the kitchen, the smell of bacon hit my nose. It made my stomach growl. I took a seat at the table.

"Good morning, Mrs. Misaki." I greeted. She turned from her station at the stove towards me.

"Oh, good morning, Alice. How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm okay. Where's Mr. Misaki?" I asked. She smiled.

"He already left for work. Also, didn't I tell you to call me Ume, and Mr. Misaki, Hideki?" She asked with a smile, wagging the spatula at me. I giggled shyly. Ume was always going on about how I was too formal. She said we were family now, so I shouldn't be calling them by such proper titles.

She set down a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me. The minute the plate touched the tabletop, I was eating. I looked at the kitchen clock. I had a little time before I had to meet up with Karen and Ben. They were in town for the week, visiting me.

It had been at least three months since the incident with Julius. April had come with a blast of warm temperature. The spring weather had washed away the pain from winter. Right now, school was on break, until next week. It would be nice because it meant I would be able to go back to school. When dealing with all the paperwork involved with the incident, I had missed a lot of work. But the school nearby made an exception and invited me to start as a first year high school student, along with the other brawlers. Even better, Shun would be joining us for our second year as a senior! I was so excited. My life was finally starting to get back on track.

My new parents had taken care of me well, providing me with anything I needed and helping me get my feet back on the ground. Karen and Ben kept in touch with me to see how I was doing. It was wonderful to be surrounded by so many people supporting me.

After finishing breakfast, I gave my goodbyes to Runo and Ume and headed out the door. Today was a bit chilly, so I put on a pink scarf, a white long sleeve shirt, some jeans, a pair of boots and a belt with a large heart buckle, courtesy of Julie as a 'welcome back' present. I walked into the small restaurant where we agreed to meet. As soon as I spotted them, I walked over to the table.

"Hi, Alice!" Karen greeted sweetly when she saw me. She stood up and hugged me. Ben looked up from his menu and smiled.

"Hey, Alice."

"Hi, Uncle Ben. Is something the matter?" I asked, seeing his face scrunch up in a confused.

"I'm just trying to figure out what to eat. There's so much to choose from!" I laughed and took my seat. After ordering, Karen spoke up.

"Alice, dear, it turns out we'll have to postpone our trip to the museum. Ben and I have to get back tonight due to Ben's job. It seems the hospital is short on staff." I shrugged.

"It's okay. We'll save it for the next time you come. It's not like you won't see me again during summer break." Our food came and we ate, talking about random things. After we finished, they left. Only about an hour passed and I had the rest of the day to do as I pleased. Flipping my cell phone open, I called Shun. He picked up on the first ring.

"Hey, Alice. What's up?" He asked with a grunt.

"Hey, Shun. Did I catch you at a bad time?" I asked. The wind picked up on his end for a second before silence.

"Nope. I just left my house. Aren't you supposed to be with your uncle and aunt?" He asked.

"Change of plans. If you aren't doing anything, do you want to hang out?" I asked.

"Sure, where do you want to meet?" I looked around to see that I was close to the park.

"How about the park? We can meet at the swing set near the south entrance."

"Alright, I'll be there soon." Even though I was closer to the park, Shun beat me there. He leaned against the metal rod that held the swings up. I went over and wrapped my arms around him. He bent down and kissed my cheek. This was our usual greeting. I sat down on one of the swings, suddenly noticing that no kids were at the park. Well, it might've been a little too cold.

Shun grabbed on to the chain of the swing and pulled back. He let me go and I swooshed forward. He slowly pushed me back and forth. I suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, Shun?"

"Yeah?" He asked.

"I…it's nothing. Never mind." I said, losing my nerve. I figured he would think what I had to say would be weird.

"No, tell me." He said eagerly. I sighed.

"Well, it's just something that happened to me back when we encountered Julius. I guess I have a couple of theories I wanted to share, but they're dumb."

"Nothing _you _say is dumb. And besides, I want to hear about these theories." He said. I smiled. Shun always knew exactly what to say.

"Well, first, I wanted to say that I have a theory on why I was so determined to find Julius. I think…part of me was too scared to realize what had happened, so I busied myself by looking for him. If I didn't, everything that happened regarding my adoption and the actions involving Grandfather might have been too overwhelming." I took another breath. "But that might just be a theory." I said, feeling a little silly, but somehow lighter.

"I believe that." He said. I smiled and looked up at the sky. When I was little, grandfather had used to push me on the swings and he always told me to look up. I t always felt like I was flying.

"And the second thing you wanted to say?" He asked, making me stir from my trance. I nodded despite the fact that I was a little nervous and I didn't know why.

"Well, the second thing was, and this is going to sound _really _weird, but when I had the knife against Julius's throat…I heard someone's voice." My speed on the swing slowed down considerably. Talking about the incident had made my stomach clench, but I really wanted to tell him.

"I heard Masquerade's voice." I blurted out. Shun had stopped pushing me and we both stood in silence. A chilly breeze passed us and I shivered.

"You heard his voice?" He asked. I turned around. He had a confused look on his face.

"Y-Yeah, I mean…he is part of my subconscious. I didn't think of it until now, but ever since the Bakugan left, I have this feeling that Masquerade has now started to help me. Even though I thought he disappeared forever, he suddenly called out to me. Even though he was telling me to kill Julius, it didn't seem to me that he wanted me to do it because he enjoys pain…but more that he thought it was the best way to protect me. Understand?" He shook his head and backed away.

"You heard his voice? You think he's protecting you? Are you crazy?" He roared. I flinched. I stood up, stupefied. What was he so mad about? Just as I was about to voice my question, he interrupted.

"First of all, _never _listen to that scumbag. Ever. Okay? It's probably some sort of trick! He could take over you again! Second, is this the first time something like this has happened?" He didn't seem close to calming down. Suddenly, _I_ was angry. Masquerade was naturally evil, but he was _good_ now. He was **helping** me. I voiced those last two thoughts.

"Helping you? He's hurt all of us, Alice. Dan, Runo, Marucho, Julie, all the Bakugan that happened to pass him, **all** of us have been hurt by him. He hurt you and me, too! And you're defending him? You're…you're…you're crazy!" We both froze. His words hurt, badly. He had never said something like that to me. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open slightly. I didn't understand why he couldn't see it from my point of view. It was obvious he had pulled out the You-Were-Masquerade-And Hurt-Your-Friends card. I didn't mean to make it sound like everything Masquerade did was justified, but I wanted him to understand that he might be trying to help me now. I felt tears prick my eyes. I frowned deeply.

"Well…if I'm so crazy," I spat the word. "Then I must be crazy for being with you." I didn't mean to say it. It just came out. I turned around to walk off. I didn't want to see his face. The tears fell rapidly, but I didn't look back. A big part of me wanted, and expected, him to grab my wrist and turn me around so that we could apologize and make up. I didn't like fighting with Shun. I walked away, unsure of what to do now.

I ended up going to the café. Even though it was my day off, I decided to work. I kept checking my phone. Every time I saw nothing had changed, I sighed. After about two hours, Runo came in. I explained to Runo what happened.

"Well, he's upset, Alice. He was really upset to find out the truth, we all were, but him more so. I mean, I get what you're trying to say, but he was probably mad right from the start, when you told him this involved Masquerade." She had said.

"So what do I do?" I had asked.

"Just wait 'till he cools down. Then talk to him. Explain it _exactly_ like you did to me. Be sure to put extra emphasis on the whole 'I'm not justifying what he did' thing and you should be fine in no time." Now, all I could think about was Shun. Suddenly, she came up behind me and untied me apron.

"It's your day off, so whether you like it or not, you can't work today. Go somewhere, do something. Just don't comeand do something _here_." She said with a wink. I nodded and walked out. The sun shined behind some clouds. I decided to go for a walk. I passed trees and benches, little shops and boutiques. I passed the city limits and start to climb up the small grassy hill. After about a half hour of walking silently up hill, I made it to where I was headed. It was _our_ spot. It was beautiful, an area of grassy green land, flowers dotting the rocky cliff side, a broken fence that was supposed to warn passersby that this area was potentially dangerous. It was a large secluded area. Once, while hiking, Shun and I found this place. It looked over the city. It was high enough to be a deadly fall, but Shun and I had always been careful.

I half expected to see him standing there, the wind swirling around him. But he wasn't there. I sighed and sat down on a nearby rock. Suddenly, I felt a drop. I looked up to see dark clouds looming overhead. Great, just as I get here, it starts to rain! Unexpectedly, my phone started to vibrate. My heart skipped a beat as I saw the caller id.

"Shun?" I answered. I expected to hear his voice calm and collected, maybe even apologetic. Instead, it was frantic and worried.

"Alice! Where are you?" He practically yelled over the phone. I winced.

"I'm at our secret spot. Why? What's the matter?" I asked, starting to get nervous. It was a rarity that Shun behaved like this.

"I'm coming to get you. Start walking down, now!" The wind on the other side picked up. He was running. I stood up.

"Tell me what's going on." I didn't expect him to say the next line.

"It's Julius! He escaped! The police are looking for him. We all think he's coming for you!" My heart froze and my knees threatened to buckle. I spun around to run, but stopped dead in my tracks.

There he was, standing with a small smile on his face. He pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against and sauntered over to me. I couldn't breath.

"Alice?" I could faintly hear Shun calling. Julius reached out and stroked my cheek. He grabbed the phone from my hand and hung up. Then, without a moments notice, he hurled it over my head. I didn't turn around. I didn't hear it fall. He must've thrown it over the ledge.

"Julius." I whispered. I took a deep breath. The rain started to fall down harder, more drops staining my clothes. He reached over and took off my scarf. He let it flutter to the ground. I had no energy to stop him. I was frozen with fear.

"Now," He spoke slowly and cynically. "Let's begin, shall we?"

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_Wow! My longest chapter so far! Let me know what'cha think! Drop a review! _

_~S.S._


	15. Danger

_Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for! Also, a quick author's note. Have any of you seen the Bakugan Battle Brawlers New Vestroia episode where Alice slaps Link? I just watched it, and I went nuts. Sweet little Alice slaps Link! It was crazy! That's all._

_Enjoy!_

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I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. This had to be some sick, twisted dream. How could Julius be here? He was supposed to be locked up forever. He was supposed to be out of my life. He smiled. It was sickening how nice he could appear on the surface. He brought his hand up and in an instant, the back of his hand connected with my cheek. The force pushed me back. My body was screaming commands at me, but fear kept me from doing anything. My legs felt like gelatin. His smile was gone, replaced by a scowl. He launched forward and continued to swipe at me. I hardly knew anything about self-defense, just some basics. He kept advancing on me with attacks while I feebly stepped backwards, trying not to get hit. I was surprised by my quick reflexes. He hadn't landed a blow yet.

I wasn't aware of my surroundings until I had my back pressed against one of the trees that decorated the small clearing. I yelped and ducked when his fist came hurdling towards my face.

I had been left an opening. Acting on instinct, my fist connected with his stomach. I was surprised that I actually managed to get a hit. My attack wasn't as strong as I would've liked, but it did enough damage to have him stumbling backwards. My fist hurt. I had never punched someone before. I ignored my pain and I tried to duck around him and run, but he was too fast. He grabbed me by my hair and yanked. I fell back and onto the wet ground.

He had a fist full of my hair in his hand, and every time he jostled me, it felt like my head was on fire.

"Let go!" I screeched. I was scared. He had me now. Tears blurred my vision. "Shun, help me!" I called. Julius laughed and pulled harder. I felt warm tears sliding down my cheeks.

"Are you calling for your little ninja boyfriend? He'll never make it in time." He let go of my hair and kicked my back, making me fall forward. I fell onto the wet soil with a _thud_. I groaned and rolled to my side. Julius seemed to tower over me. He brought his leg back and landed a forceful kick in my stomach.

I screamed at the ache. I gasped and sputtered at the intense pain. I couldn't breathe. I cried out as he kicked me again, this time kicking my upper arm. I continued to try and roll away from him. My stomach hurt so badly I could barely stand it. He put a foot on either side of me, preventing me from going anywhere, and leaned forward. I was now face to face with my worst nightmare.

I had to do something. Lifting my hand, I landed a hard, solid punch to his jaw. My knuckles throbbed from the pain. He lost his balance and stumbled backward. He clutched his cheek and stared at me with wild eyes. I pulled myself into a crouching position and pushed myself forward. I crashed into him and we both stumbled. I fell on top of him, but as soon as we landed, he twisted his body. The two of us continued to roll in a jumbled mess, each trying to pin the other down. Finally, he had me pinned underneath him. I continued to struggle, but he had too strong a hold on me.

"There's no use resisting. You're misery will be over soon." With that, he wrapped his hands around my throat. His hands constricted around my throat so tight I had to scratch at his hands to try to get some room to breathe. I continued to wheeze and spit. My head was pounding with pain and I couldn't inhale.

Mustering up all my strength, I lifted my legs and kicked him. He flew off of me. I took deep gulps of air. I felt light headed as I felt the blood travel to my head. I looked over to see him slowly getting up, clutching his stomach tightly. Suddenly, anger surged though me. I was angry at Julius for so many reasons, I was mad at this stupid weather, I was mad at Shun for not bothering to understand me. I was mad at everyone. My animal instincts kicked in. I lashed out at him until I finally managed to hit him. I was shocked that I was able to land blows on him. I continued my barrage of attacks. I was now on the offensive side. I brought my leg up and kicked him one last time in the stomach. He stumbled back, and then he abruptly disappeared.

Just like that. He was gone. What was going on? I gasped as the adrenaline in me settled and I could think clearly. We were at the edge of the clearing. He had fallen off. I looked over the ledge and gasped. He was hanging by the ledge with one hand, a terrified expression on his face. I bent down onto my stomach and reached over.

I wrapped my arm around his with one hand; the other helped me balance myself on the ledge. He looked up at me with a strange expression. At first, I saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. But it was replaced by rage.

"Let me go!" He screeched. The rain didn't help, but I managed to get a good grip on him. I tried to pull him up, but he was too heavy for only one arm to pull up. I knew we couldn't stay like that for long. I would have to wait for Shun to come and help me, though I had no idea if he truly would. Though I didn't give up. He was slowly starting to slip from my grasp.

"Let go of me, you stupid cow! What is the matter with you? I killed your parents! I tried to kill you; you aren't supposed to save me! SO, LET ME GO!"

"I can't!" I yelled over the sound of the rain. It was getting harder and harder to hold him up. "I hate you…hate you so much that I _want_ to let you go. But I would hate myself _more_ if I let you fall to your death. So, try and find a small ledge to use to push yourself up." The rain was hitting us hard now. The hand that wasn't being held, reached into his jacket. I was about to ask him what he was doing, but I lost my voice when I saw him pull out the knife. It was a bit smaller than his old one. A part of my brain was screaming at me to let Julius go, but I was frozen in fear.

"I'll say it again. Let. Me. GO!" With that, he flipped the knife open, reached up and plunged the knife into my bicep. I shrieked out in pain and, out of shock, let him fall. I felt time slow down and my heart stopped. My arm reached out to try and grab him, but it was too late. The last sight I saw of Julius was the terror and amusement mixed in his eyes. I didn't bother to watch his body fall to the ground. I closed my eyes tightly.

I let out a cry of guilt and pain. My arms dangled over the ledge uselessly. Blood ran down my arm. I tried to bend my arm, but found it incredible hard and excruciating. I quickly pushed myself away from the ledge with my good arm. It took a while, but I managed to stand upright. I walked over to my scarf and picked it up. It was completely drenched, but I didn't care.

I looked at my arm and cried out at the sight. It looked horrifying. I thought back to my medical studies at school and lessons with grandfather. I knew I shouldn't pull the knife out, but it was too painful to keep in. I took a deep breath and yanked the dagger out. I screamed and sobbed relentlessly from the wound. I pressed the scarf against my cut and took shallow breaths. After a couple of minutes, I looked at the wound again and immediately started to worry. The bleeding was supposed to stop after you put enough pressure. But the wound kept spewing out blood.

An artery. I cursed under my breath and started to pull my belt off. It was hard doing it with one hand, but I managed to get it done. I learned that if an artery is cut, a person could bleed to death in a matter of minutes. I wrapped my belt around my arm and pulled it closed tightly. The only way to stop the bleeding was to cut off circulation. The pain and throbbing wouldn't stop, but it had to be done. I hiccupped from the nonstop tears and took deep breathes. I was exhausted and drowsy. It hurt to breathe. I doubled over and threw up, the exhaustion, pain, and sorrow finally getting to me. I wiped my lips across my sleeve and started walking as fast as my sore legs could carry. I started trudging down the path, intend on surviving this ordeal.

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_What's going to happen to Alice? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out!_

_~S.S._


	16. Wounded

_Summer is here! Oh gosh, I've been dying for this season to come. This means more time for writing! Well, this is the second to last chapter everyone! Also, this chapter will be longer than the others. Also, to Kat-kath: I gave Shun your message and this is his response._

_Shun:…Yes, I know. Don't rub it in. *glares*_

_Me: Shun! Behave or I'll kill you off._

_Shun:…_

_Me: I thought so._

_Enjoy!_

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_Shun's POV (For once!)_

I ran as fast as I could, the rain slowing me down. As soon as I had seen the news report, I freaked out. I had fought with Alice at the worst possible time. All I could think was: How could this have happened? Julius was on the loose and most likely hunting Alice. How did he escape? If I hadn't been so stupid and thick-headed, I wouldn't have had to worry so much. But Alice was in danger and if anything happened to her…

I refused to think along those lines. The rain held an ominous feeling, making me edgy. Suddenly, I saw something orange in the distance. Many emotions rushed through me as I identified the figure.

"Alice!" I called. I could see her walking slowly down the path. She was soaked to the bone and she swayed slightly. Above all the emotions, I felt a wave of relieve when I saw her. It meant I had gotten to her before Julius did. When she heard me, she waved slightly. I sped up to get to her. I felt my blood run cold when I saw her light pink scarf wrapped around her left upper arm, red staining the pink fabric. Suddenly, she stumbled and started to fall forward. I managed to catch her in time. She was breathing heavily in short gasps. Picking her up bridal style, I ran back to the city. I would have to take her to the hospital immediately. She gripped my shirt feebly.

"Alice! What happened?" I asked, trying to calm my nerves. It would do me no good to lose it now. Sweat, rain, and tears stained her face. She had a couple of bruises covering her face.

"Julius…h-he found me…We f-fought…he fell off the cliff…Shun, I-I tried to save him, I-I really did…but he stabbed me…he fell…he's dead…I…" More tears spilled down her cheeks as she hiccupped.

"Shhh, it's alright, Alice. You can explain the whole story later. Conserve you're energy. I'll get you to the hospital and then you will be good as new." I wasn't sure if I was saying those words to comfort her or me. Rage and remorse filled me. I hadn't made it in time. Alice was hurt because I was so careless. She whimpered, snapping me out of my trance.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.

"Stop." I obeyed and slowed to a stop. She pushed me slightly with her good arm and I set her down. I helped her kneel to the floor. Using her mouth, she untied to the belt that was holding the pink scarf and let it fall, as well as the scarf. The blood poured steadily from her arm. It scared me. Grabbing the scarf, she put pressure against the wound. She curled the fingers on her left hand, her bad arm, into a fist a couple of times before clutching the belt again.

"Please help." She asked. I nodded and shakily wrapped the belt tightly around her arm, keeping the scarf in place. She cried out when I pulled it tight, but she told me I did a good job. I picked her up and again and ran, pushing myself to go as fast as I could. She was looking paler than before.

"Y-Your cut was bleeding a lot." I cursed my shaky voice. She smiled up at me weakly.

"Yeah, he hit an artery. They tend to bleed profusely. I had to let the blood flow down to my hand." I nodded, feeling like a bobble head.

"How do you all that?" I asked, referring to her recent activity. Her eyes were closed. I jostled her, trying to keep her awake, afraid if she went to sleep, she wouldn't wake up.

"I took a couple of classes back in Russia. Since I want to be a nurse, I learned a lot of things about blood loss and whatnot."

"Yeah? Keep going." I urged. We were getting closer. I could hear cars in the distant.

"Shun? I'm sorry about what I said." I looked into her sad eyes and felt another twinge of regret.

"Don't be silly, Alice. I'm the stupid one who started the fight anyway. I'm the one who should be sorry." She laughed softly.

"Good, I'm glad you're not mad. Shun…I love you. I really love you."

"I love you too, Alice. That's why you've got to keep with me. I can see the hospital from here! Okay?" She made a small noise of affirmation. I almost laughed with relief when the hospital came into view.

I bust through the hospital's double doors. A couple of people looked up at me.

"Somebody, please help us. We have an emergency!" I exclaimed. I looked down at Alice. She was silent and she sagged in my arms. A couple of medical staff members ran over to me and took Alice away from me. They were talking so rapidly, that I could only catch words like 'blood loss' and 'heart stopped' and 'going into shock.'

"Her name is Alice Gehabich. She was stabbed in her upper arm. Please, help her." A man in scrubs pushed me back, saying words quickly. But I couldn't focus on anything except Alice's limp body.

"No." I whispered. Alice had to be okay. A big burly doctor put her on a movable bed and pushed her away, other doctors trailing behind. They turned a corner and disappeared.

I stumbled into a waiting room and sat down on the nearest chair. My head and heart hurt. Water dripped down my face. I ran a hand through my hair. I couldn't do anything except wait for the doctors. What if she died? I was so frustrated. Reaching inside my pocket, I grabbed my cell phone. I was surprised that it wasn't completely wet. I quickly dialed Dan's number. He answered on the first ring.

"Yo Shun, what's up, buddy?" He exclaimed loudly. I heard Runo yelling on Dan's side of the line.

"Dan, I don't how to explain this. Alice is in the hospital. I-" I was cut off by Dan hanging up. Fifteen minutes later, all the brawlers bust through the doors.

"Hey, Shun! Marucho and I picked up all the brawlers as soon as I heard the news! Now-" Dan was interrupted by Runo.

"What happened to Alice?" She cried as she ran up to me. I stood up and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Julius escaped." I stated. Everyone's eyes grew wide.

"So…you're saying-" Dan began.

"Julius got to her before I did." I finished. Runo gasped.

"Are you for real? Is she going to be okay?" Julie piped up. I sighed and, releasing my hold on Runo, ran a hand through my hair.

"I don't know yet." I fell back down in my chair and held my head in my hands.

It was silent among the group. We were all waiting, wondering. Finally, a woman in scrubs called for any family or friends of Alice Gehabich. We all stood up and walked over. The sight of blood on her scrubs terrified me beyond belief.

"You are the friends of Miss Gehabich?" She asked and we all nodded. "Are there any biological relatives?" She asked warily.

"My parents just adopted her. They're on their way." Runo spoke softly. I didn't hear her call her parents. The surgeon nodded. She took a deep breath before beginning.

"I really didn't want to have to say this to a couple of kids. But you need to hear this." She turned to face Runo. "Your sister is in critical condition right now. The stab wound hit an artery. She managed to sustain herself for a little while, but she lost too much blood. Her heart stopped because of the shock from loss of blood." We all froze. I felt my heart stop. The only word that passed through my head was _no_.

"C-Can you save her?" Marucho asked in a shaky voice, asking for the answer we were all afraid to hear.

"We're continuing to try to save her with heart massage and artificial respiration. There's a chance we _can_ save her, but the odds aren't good. We're going to start a blood transfusion, but blood arriving from the blood bank would arrive late." Before anyone could say anything, Mr. and Mrs. Misaki barged through the door. Mr. Misaki was about to say something, but the surgeon stopped him.

"Does anyone have blood type A?" She looked doubtful. Runo and Marucho stepped forward. The woman nodded with a small smile.

"Is Alice going to be okay?" Mrs. Misaki interjected. The surgeon nodded.

"There's a chance." She turned to Runo again. "If you and your parents would follow me into the other room, you can sign a form and donate some blood to your sister. Are you at least sixteen?"

"Yes." Runo almost smiled. She could do something to help, while the rest of us couldn't. The surgeon turned to Marucho.

"You might want to contact your parents and get them to come over. The more blood we have on hand, the higher are chances of saving her are." Marucho nodded and flew out the door, cell phone in hand. The surgeon, Runo, and her parents all walked away, leaving us with a small glimmer of hope.

We were all told to continue waiting in the waiting room. It was small and the seats were uncomfortable. I stood up and started to pace around the room. I was agitated. I was overcome with worry. What if they didn't save her? She was all I had left, next to my grandfather. I loved her. I couldn't lose her, right when we were starting to get her life back on track. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Dan staring at me. His eyes were watery.

"Sit down, Shun." No buddy, no hot-shot, no nothing. He was as serious as I had ever seen him. Even when the Bakugan were here, he didn't give up his smile. But that was different. There was a high chance that we'd never see Alice again. I nodded and took a seat. I put my head in my hands and let the tears fall freely. One thought constantly ran through my mind as I sat in that waiting room.

_Don't take her way from me. _

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_Did I do a terrible job of portraying Shun? Well, the next chapter is the last! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

_~S.S._


	17. Awakening

_Wow. The last chapter. I can't believe it! Thank you all so much for your kind support. You have all been so wonderful! Over 100 reviews? You crazy people! Well, I hope this was worth the wait. After this, I'll probably edit the chapters._

_Ah, what a sad, melancholy feeling I'm left with. The ending of another chapter story. Thanks for putting up with me so long! For the last time…_

_Enjoy!_

_(Alice's POV)_

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People whispering to each other. I felt heavy, as though I might be under water. My chest hurt for some odd reason. I could only make out some of the whispers. Things like 'pulse' 'no improvement' and 'don't give up.' None of it made sense. I opened my eyes and looked around. I was standing in the hallway. My bare feet made no sound as they slapped the cold, hospital tiles. I turned around. A pair of double doors stood behind me. When I turned back, another set of double doors were on the opposite side of the hall. The silence was…ominous. I slowly made my way to the double doors. Just as my hand connected with the door, the doors swung out, in my direction. The door smacked into my face, making me stumble backwards. I rubbed my nose.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't see you there, sweetheart." I looked up to see a woman standing there, her hand on the door and an apologetic smile gracing her lips. She stepped forward and let the doors swing shut. "Though, it's a good thing I _was _here, or else you would've gone through the doors!"

I stared up at her, bewildered.

"I was going to go there." I replied. She smiled softly. I was astounded by her appearance. She was beautiful. She had long, soft blond curls and the eyes the prettiest shade of auburn.

"Don't you think you're a little young to be going there?" She asked, her voice playful, as she pointed to the double doors behind her.

"I'm…not sure. Do you have to be eighteen or something to go through?" I asked. She laughed loudly and clutched her stomach.

"No, you don't, but you shouldn't go there if you still have business over _there_." This time, she pointed to the doors at the opposite end.

"I'm confused." I replied. I tried to think how I got here, but my memory was fuzzy.

"Let's just say I'm here to help you make your choice." She responded.

"My choice of what?" I asked. I was beginning to grow frustrated.

"The choice of which doors you go through." She replied coolly.

"Does it matter?" She smiled and nodded. She grabbed my hand and pulled me so that I was in the middle of the hallway. I looked up at her confused. She just smiled.

"If you choose that door," she said, pointing to the door on my left, you'll be in a lot of pain." She chuckled at my grimace. "But along with the pain, you'll be with people you care about, especially S-" She quickly silenced herself with a hand to her mouth. "Well, I can't tell you all that."

"What happens if I pick that door?" I asked, pointing to the door on my right. Her smile faltered slightly.

"If you choose that door, you'll be very happy. But you'll only be with two, excuse me, three people you care about. Understand?" I nodded slightly, though I was still puzzled by it all. Happy with only three people or in pain with everyone I cared about.

"Oh." The connection clicked as I remembered how I got here. She was talking about me being alive or dead. Was I dying on Earth? I was about to tell the woman that I wanted to go to the door on the left, but stopped myself.

Through the doors on the right end of the hall, my mother, father, and grandfather would be waiting. I could go be with them. The idea seemed…incredible, miraculous even. The idea of seeing them made me want to say yes _badly_. But what would I be leaving behind? I would be leaving Runo, and my new parents. I would be leaving Marucho, Julie, Dan, and all my other friends. But more importantly, I would be leaving Shun behind. Shun, who had always protected me and kept me safe. How could I possibly leave him?

"I know where I want to go." I said. She smiled and pulled me into a hug. I was a bit surprised that this stranger was hugging me, but, for some odd reason, happy too. She pulled away.

"You made the right choice." She whispered.

"But how do you know-" I was interrupted by a bright, blinding light and a harsh wind. I could only make out her silhouette.

"Who are you?" I asked. I had to yell because the wind was blowing much too hard. She waved slightly, her figure slowly moving away from me.

"Be safe, my darling Alice." She whispered. I gasped as memories flooded in my mind. Only one person had said those words exactly like that…

"Mother." I whispered, my voice cracking as tears sprung to my eyes. The memory of the two of us at the park flashed in my mind. "No, I don't want to say goodbye! Not yet! I want to be with you!" I reached out to try and grab her.

"I know, my love. But sometimes goodbye is a second chance..." Her voice faded as she disappeared. The light grew brighter until I fell unconscious.

The first thing I saw when my eyes snapped open was the white tiles of the ceiling. I turned my head slightly to my right. There were a few wires and a small monitor with a few words that were too blurry for me to make out. A curtain blocked out anything else that might've been in the room. I turned to my left to see a breath-taking sight. Shun slept peacefully, his mouth slightly opened as he breathed in and out evenly. The window let in a little sunshine behind the white curtains, making Shun seem to glow.

"Shun…" I breathed happily. His eyes snapped open and he did a quick glance around the room. When his eyes landed on me, his mouth hung open.

"A-Alice…" He whispered. Tears gathered in his eyes and he slowly made his way to the bed. He tentatively took one of my hands in his. I slowly reached up with my free hand and cupped his cheek. The mere sight of him made me feel overjoyed.

He bent down and kissed my lips fiercely. I responded happily. When he pulled away, tears were sliding down his cheeks.

"Oh Shun…don't cry." I whispered and reached up to wipe them away.

"I'm just…so happy. I thought I'd lost you. The thought was unbearable." The tears slipped down his cheeks. I smiled softly.

"I'm right here." I said. I adjusted myself to a sitting position.

"I-I know…you're here…awake. I'm so relieved." He added a shaky laugh, his voice weak. Pain shot through my arm as I lifted it, but I ignored it. I spread my arms, asking for a hug. He smiled and hugged me. My arms wrapped around his neck, while one of his hands wrapped around my waist, the other one cradling the back of my head. He rested his forehead against my right shoulder. Using my better hand, I ran my hand through his hair, whispering words of love in his ear.

He pulled away and pressed his lips against mine softly. I sighed into the kiss. I almost lost this…

I pulled away quickly. He looked at me, bewildered. Probably afraid that he'd hurt me. Tears slipped down my cheeks.

"What is it? Are you in pain?" He asked in an alarmed voice. I shook my head.

"Shun, when I was unconscious, I…I saw her." He looked bemused.

"Saw who?" He asked.

"My mother." I whispered. He looked at me as though I were crazy. Before he could say anything, I began speaking. I told him everything. After I finished, he looked at me seriously.

"Near-death experience?" He offered. I shrugged, unsure how to answer. I looked down at my left arm. My upper arm was wrapped up. I fingered it gently.

"I killed him." I whispered, closing my eyes and remembering Julius falling off the cliff. I shuttered. Shun knew what I was talking about.

"You did not kill him." He said through gritted teeth. I looked up at him and saw his expression. Anger and sadness pooled in his eyes.

"I let him fall off the cliff." I whispered.

"It was self defense. I don't want to hear you say anything more. You did nothing wrong. And don't you dare blame yourself for anything." It was the angriest I'd ever heard him, even when we had fought. I opened my mouth to retort, but a knock interrupted us. He gave me a quick glance before standing up straight to see who had come in. The curtain blocked my view of the doorway.

"Is she awake?" I easily recognized Runo's voice. Shun nodded and smiled slightly. Runo, Marucho, Dan, Julie, and Klaus entered. Runo walked over and wrapped her arms around my waist tightly.

"Oh Alice, I'm so happy to see you awake!" When she pulled away, her face was slightly red and tears were in her eyes. I smiled and grabbed her hand, giving a small squeeze.

"It's good to be awake, Runo." I replied.

"Mom and Dad will be here after work." I nodded. She smiled, kissed my forehead and pulled away. Marucho and Julie came up to me at the same time and hugged me in the same manner as Runo. Everyone was being extra careful of my arm.

"I was soooo worried, Alice! I was a total mess yesterday, when you first came in. But look at you! You look so much better." Julie exclaimed, her voice breaking slightly. I smiled tenderly. Julie wasn't very good with depressing things.

"I, too, was anxious about your injury. You had us all very worried. We didn't want to lose you…" He trailed off and sniffled loudly. I rubbed his back in a soothing gesture. He was crying a lot. He quickly wiped them away and smiled. "But we should be happy that you've been making a recovery." I nodded.

"That's right." I said. Julie gave my hand a squeeze and Marucho kissed my cheek before they pulled away. Dan shuffled closer to the bed, looking quite distraught. His eyes were red and puffy. He had also been crying. He ruffled my hair.

"I'm glad you're okay." His voice was thick with emotion. I never stopped smiling.

"Thank you, Dan." I whispered. It was rare to see Dan so…upset. He pressed his lips to my head in a jumbled and awkward manner. But it was his way of expressing the things he couldn't say. He retreated to the edge of the bed. He smiled suddenly. The old Dan was back.

"I'm really hungry. Didn't have much of an appetite before. Anyone wanna come with me to the cafeteria?" Yes, the old Dan had definitely returned. Runo grumbled about Dan being an idiot, but nonetheless followed him with Julie and Marucho out the door. From the corner of my eye, I saw Shun sit down in the chair in the corner of the room. I turned to see Klaus standing with a small smile on his face and flowers in his hand.

"Klaus, I'm surprised to see you here." I said. He made his way over to the bed.

"I could say the same for you. I guess you could call me a spokesperson for Joseph, Chan-Lee, Julio, William, and Komba." I tried not to laugh as he spoke of my friends. Billy and Joe abhorred being called by their full name.

"These are for you." He said as he handed me the flowers. I smiled graciously.

"These are beautiful. Thank you." I rested them on my lap. He dipped his head slightly.

"Yes. Well, we were all very worried about you. I'd ask what happened, but I fear that the story is long, private, and would probably make you uncomfortable." He frowned as he said this. I nodded.

"Yes, thank you for understanding." He smiled and reached over to cup my cheek.

"If you need _anything_, please don't hesitate to call me." I smiled softly, and touched the hand that was on my cheek.

"I appreciate it, Klaus." He pulled away and turned to Shun. I turned to see Shun with an unfathomable expression on his face. He stood up and shook Klaus's outstretched hand.

"Good seeing you again. Take good care of her." Klaus said.

"Yes, I'll do that. Goodbye." Something clicked between the two. They stared at each other for a bit longer before Klaus turned around and left. Shun then turned to me and sighed.

"I hate him." He murmured.

"Why?" I asked incredulous. By the expression on his face, I could tell he hadn't meant for me to hear that.

"Because he _likes_ you." He scowled. I scoffed. There was no way that Klaus liked me. I voiced that opinion.

"Of course he doesn't." Shun remarked sarcastically. Before I could respond, his lips were on mine. The kiss started out soft and sweet, but turned into a heated, steamy kiss. When we pulled away for air, he was grinning from ear to ear.

My laugh turned into a yawn.

"You're tired, get some rest." I had no room to argue, so I closed my eyes.

"Stay with me?" I asked sleepily.

"Always." He whispered in response. I smiled and drifted off into sleep.

I was soon released from the hospital. My arm had fully recovered and I was able to use it properly. I told the police unit what happened as soon as I was released. They found Julius's body in the woods below the cliff. At least, that's what Shun told me. I didn't care to go see for myself. School had started up a week after the incident. It was hard work, but I managed to get good grades. My life has since had no difficulties. I was finally free from my past and able to look towards me future.

**One Year Later**

It was cold in Moscow, despite being April. The snow fell down softly, creating a beautiful scenery. Karen and Ben drove in silence. Occasionally, Karen would tell Ben where to turn. Shun and I stayed silent in the backseat. I turned and met his gaze.

_Are you going to be okay?_ He asked me with his eyes. I gave him a nod and a small smile. He nodded and turned to face ahead. I was only a little nervous. The car rolled to a stop.

"You sure you don't want us to come?" She asked. I nodded.

"I'm sure." I responded. Shun and I exited the car and walked passed the gate to the cemetery. The fresh snow crunched under our feet. I walked up a small hill and into the clearing. A couple of headstones dotted the area, but I could easily identify the one I was looking for. It was the biggest. It was easy to find his tombstone. A fairly large tree stood next to it and it wasn't too far from the entrance. A soon as I reached it, tears automatically sprung to my eyes. But I blinked them away. I knelt down in front of it and wiped away the snow that covered the inscription.

_R.I.P Dr. Michael Gehabich_

_Beloved father, grandfather, and scientist._

"Hello grandfather. It's been a while, hasn't it?" I smiled as I remembered my first visit to grandfather's grave. It was a day after the funeral. I had been a blubbering mess. "I can assure you that everything in the past has been settled. I found Julius. I know you'd probably be mad at me for doing so, but I had to. I want you to be at peace. Julius is gone and has reconciled for his sins. I miss you a lot, grandfather. It's been hard without you. Aunt Karen, Uncle Ben, and I miss you terribly. I wish I could stay longer, but because of the weather, we've been issued a curfew. The mayor doesn't want anyone outside because there's going to be a snowstorm. Anyways, I love you very much. Stay warm." I smiled fondly at the stone before standing up. I wiped away the tears that had escaped and turned to Shun.

"Are you ready to go, Alice?" He asked, holding his gloved hand out towards me.

"Yes," I responded and took his hand in mine. "I think I'm ready now. Let's go home."

* * *

_I'm sorry that this chapter took so long and ended so…strangely. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed all my chapters!_

_~S.S._


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